BNP Leafleting 'Offside' Says Fans

A right wing UK nationalist party has been leafleting an east Belfast soccer match.

The presence of the British National Party (BNP) members outside the Glentoran V Glenavon football game at the Oval has been described as uninvited and unwelcome by both fans and by Robin Newton, the East Belfast DUP MLA and Stormont Junior Minister.

Football fans want the extreme party to stay away from the local ground after their members canvassed support outside the Oval at the weekend.

They BNP issued leaflets seeking support to bring Troops back from Afghanistan.

Graham Moore from the Castlereagh Glentoran Supporters' Club told the BBC that the BNP was not something fans want to be associated with.

Robin Newton also described the presence of the BNP as being unwelcome.

Mr Newton said a number of constituents contacted him to "express their disgust" at the presence of the BNP outside their local club.

He told www.4ni.co.uk: "They go to the Oval to support the Glens and enjoy a game of football; they don't want to be faced with BNP messages of hate..

"Glentoran Football Club has a generational tradition of appealing to a broad range of supporters and players, irrespective of race or religion.

"I presume this BNP presence is some sort of campaign to raise their nauseous profile, and I appeal for everyone to stand as one to reject their message," he added.

"I understand they are now seeking to link their actions to some form of support for our troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"How ironic, given the fact that our brave young soldiers are currently fighting those who espouse exactly the same sort of bile and hate as preached by the BNP.

"The BNP should pack up their messages of hate and disappear. They have been rejected time and time again, they represent no-one, and we don't want them in our midst."

(BMcC/KMcA)