Salutes at BNP event 'racist act'
NAZI salutes given by two men to people protesting against a British National Party festival were a hostile act referring to genocide, a judge has found.
Deputy District Judge John Miller made the point as he found Saville Davies and Hayden Gough guilty of racially aggravated harassment yesterday.
He accepted that the pair were provoked by protesters at the party's annual Red, White and Blue festival, in Denby.
But he said the salutes could not be seen as anything other than hostile towards the non-British and non-white people and "those associated with them" in the 1,000-strong protest group.
He said: "It (the Nazi salute) is a reference to Nazi party dogma, which, as we know, involved racial discrimination to the most extreme degree – that is genocide based on race."
Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' court heard how, on Saturday, August 15, an argument started when protesters passed a small group of people in Codnor-Denby Lane as they walked away from holding a rally near the festival entrance. Between 10 and 15 people, including Davies, 25 and Gough, 18, were asked to move out of the way by police as the protesters approached.
When the protesters arrived Davies, who had a shaved head and was wearing braces and jeans, said he got into an argument with a man he believed threatened his son.
The court heard how protesters shouted slogans like "Nazi scum" and "Master race you're having a laugh" and threw objects such as fruit.
Davies, who was on his way to the festival at the time, said, as he moved away, the taunts got louder and he turned to give a Nazi salute.
Gough, who claimed he was following the protest "to get his face on TV", said he gave three Nazi salutes when interviewed by police.
Both were caught on CCTV taken by a police surveillance team. Davies was arrested at the scene and Gough was arrested later that day after officers had studied the pictures. In September, Davies and Gough pleaded not guilty to racially aggravated harassment.
Yesterday, they pleaded guilty to behaviour causing harassment alarm or distress but continued to deny it was racially aggravated.
They were found guilty of the earlier charge.
Both said they were not members of the BNP but Davies said he been to one party meeting. Davies, of Holywell Avenue, Codnor, was ordered to pay a fine and costs totalling £315, and Gough, of Church Street, Riddings, £390.
Both were bound over to pay £250 if they caused harassment, alarm or distress to the public again within two years.









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by Jo, Derbys
Thursday, December 03 2009, 11:22AM
“Victoria- please check out the Hope not Hate website.
Really good to hear from you.”
by Nigel Gough, Derby
Thursday, December 03 2009, 11:14AM
“I was in court on the day. One of the defendends had been at a local shop aiding the shop keeper jut to keep an eye on the outside of the store as the owner was busy inside with customers, as last year protestors had damaged his store and property outside and tried to rip the union jack down that had been there over 20years then the defendent when the protest moved on followed the protestors to see if anything happen like last year. His grandmother WAS in a nazi concentration camp and he does have black relatives and friends so how can he be racist.... YES he did wrong with the reaction he did but being called nazi scun, kill your self with a gun like hitler did, nazi scum off our street. missiles thrown AND NOTHING HAS HAPPENED TO THE PPL THROWING THE MISSILES.
yes it was the wrong reaction another gesture could have been used but he did it for a laugh and a very costly laugh it was being now branded a racist when he certainly he isnt”
by Victoria, DERBY
Wednesday, December 02 2009, 3:48PM
“Anon I do appreciate what you¿re saying and I think that these two groups will always have contention. I personally can¿t stand Nick Griffin or what the BNP stood for. Yet an offence is an offence and all involved should have been investigated and the appropriate action taken.
Yet a Nazi salute ¿¿¿ please we all know what it means even a 5 year old would understand the action.
Also I don¿t thin the police were stood by filming it, yet probably using a camera in the back of a van like with motorists.”
by Dawn, Derby
Wednesday, December 02 2009, 3:47PM
“Kevin Rudds attitude is correct IMO, but what happens when the immigrants have children.
Born in Australia but non-christian,brought up in a family that supports customs other than the majority, lives life in a tradition other than that of Australian folk etc ??
They build their churches, set up their own communities/neighbourhoods and then start dictating how the majority should live. They can do this because they have a right as Australian citizens and tax-payers.
Then governments bow down to the minorities because everyone is scared they may be called facists/racists etc.
Kevin Rudd may as well give up now and open the door to anyone, like we do.”
by jon, spondon
Wednesday, December 02 2009, 3:43PM
“The police acted in the same manner as they did when the soldiers marched through Luton and were being abused by the Muslim extremists. Soldiers families and wellwishers who were so shocked saddened and rightly angered by their rascist, murderous taunts to our servicemen tired to get at the scum, but were held back and threatened with arrest. To me what they did in Luton was act of treason and if i am not mistaken still punishable by death!
The same happened at the BNP rally, it seems that if you give the Nazi salute you break the law, but being called a nazi scum and have items thrown at you is legal. Double standards being applied here me thinks!
While the government and authorities pander to lefties and not so minority groups. Political parties such as the BNP will go from strength to strength.
In my opinion the BBC scored a massive own goal when they flooded the audience on questiontime with anti BNP supporters. I evenstarted to feel for Nick Griffin and found myself agreeing to some of what he said, while being constantly heckled.”
by Voltaire, man who knows evrything
Wednesday, December 02 2009, 3:34PM
“Suppose we can expect more biased BNP bashing in the run-up to the next ellection.”
by John, Derby
Wednesday, December 02 2009, 3:30PM
“Jo, you obviously have a bee in your bonnet about the BNP and NG. Perhaps what this country needs to do is take the same stance in immigration that Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia does." Your welcome here as long as you accept our laws and values. We don't worry what religion you are as long as you accept that we are a christian country. If you don't accept these things, then you are not welcome here" Australia treats immigrants fairly by asking them to abide by the laws of that country. Can you honestly say that immigrants do that here?”
by Dawn, Derby
Wednesday, December 02 2009, 3:10PM
“Chris -
Re "The battle of Cable St"
Could it be that the anti-facist mob were just out to cause trouble with anyone in the name of anything.
Maybe they just wanted to cause trouble !
Sound familiar ??”
by Anon, Derby
Wednesday, December 02 2009, 2:54PM
“Still no reply from anyone as to what they think to the police standing by watching an attack and filming it?!”
by Chris, Derby
Wednesday, December 02 2009, 2:47PM
“The use of such things as military styled uniforms, (Black shirts, Brown Shirts) and military style salutes, in particular salutes such as the Nazi salute (actually copied from Ancient Rome as the salute to Caesar) were also made illegal and this law applies to all political parties. Para-military styled groups, along with all the racist and militarist trappings are illegal as well. The BNP preach policiies that are remiscent of the Mozley Black Shirted Facsists but do not wear military styled uniforms. However a Nazi salute can only be seen as anti semetic or racist in view of the way it was used by Hitler's National Socialist Party.
Mozley was eventually ridiculed by the British public and his movement ended in political failure as proof that such politics have no place in British society.
I am pleased hat the law is being upheld with this case.
On another point, I watched Andrew Marr's "Making of Britain" and the anti Facsist movement's protest march which resulted in "The Battle of Cable Street". It is interesting to see that after the police successfully stopped the Black Shirt march, the anti Fascist protestors tuned on the police and attacked them with extreme violence. Why attack the police? How history repeats itself!”