heaven above
10-23-2004, 09:35 PM
[SIZE=7]POLICE CLAIM FANS PLAN NF CHAOS [/SIZE] [COLOR=DarkOrange]undefined[/COLOR]
HENRY HEPBURN
09:00 - 23 October 2004
Scores of football hooligans from throughout the UK are intent on causing chaos on the day that the National Front plans to march in Aberdeen, according to Grampian Police.
Its findings effectively give councillors a way out of the Catch 22 situation they were in and could allow them to refuse permission for the march without putting their jobs on the line.
The force has learned that hooligans from the north-east and elsewhere plan to turn up for the march.
But the organiser of the proposed November 28 procession says that is "absolute nonsense".
The force contends that a rival march of objectors against the National Front would be "purely confrontational", and says the two marches need to start three hours apart if they are to be policed effectively.
The police comments are in a report to go before Aberdeen City Council's licensing committee on Monday.
Councillors were warned previously that they could not refuse permission for the march unless there was a legitimate public order concern. If they did so, they could lose their roles as councillors and be barred from serving in public office for five years.
The Grampian Police observations - the force cannot make a recommendation - would appear to give them legitimate grounds to turn the National Front application down.
The report points out that Andrew MacIntosh, organiser of a third proposed march by the anti-English Scottish Patriots, has died, meaning that application cannot proceed.
He killed himself in Craiginches hours before he was due in court on firearms charges linked with a security alert on the day Holyrood opened.
A council spokesman said: "Grampian Police has confirmed in its comments that it is in receipt of intelligence that suggests that a group of locally-based football hooligans, or casuals, intend showing support to the planned march. This would, it is believed, include plans to cause some sort of disturbance in the city centre if the procession is cancelled or postponed.
"The intelligence also indicates that they would be bolstered in number by similar groups from throughout the UK who frequently show support for the National Front."
Police also indicate that the National Front march would be less of a "family event" than the applicant, Dave MacDonald, originally suggested.
Mr MacDonald's initial insistence that only members of National Front Scotland would be involved has also proved misleading, as he has since stated in the organisation's magazine, The Flame, that the parade would be open to all, including National Front members from across the UK.
Grampian Police are said to be investigating a number of allegations that comments made by Mr MacDonald in the Press and Journal in August were racially motivated.
Yesterday he described the suggestion that football hooligans would be taking part in the National Front march as "absolute nonsense". Mr MacDonald added: "We've got no links whatsoever with football hooligans - we don't allow them in our party for a start."
The trades council march was described as "purely confrontational" in a police letter.
The trades council application was made in the name of Sultan Feroz. He said organisers had complied with every request of the police, even managing to get the 100 stewards required to monitor the planned procession of 1,000 people.
HENRY HEPBURN
09:00 - 23 October 2004
Scores of football hooligans from throughout the UK are intent on causing chaos on the day that the National Front plans to march in Aberdeen, according to Grampian Police.
Its findings effectively give councillors a way out of the Catch 22 situation they were in and could allow them to refuse permission for the march without putting their jobs on the line.
The force has learned that hooligans from the north-east and elsewhere plan to turn up for the march.
But the organiser of the proposed November 28 procession says that is "absolute nonsense".
The force contends that a rival march of objectors against the National Front would be "purely confrontational", and says the two marches need to start three hours apart if they are to be policed effectively.
The police comments are in a report to go before Aberdeen City Council's licensing committee on Monday.
Councillors were warned previously that they could not refuse permission for the march unless there was a legitimate public order concern. If they did so, they could lose their roles as councillors and be barred from serving in public office for five years.
The Grampian Police observations - the force cannot make a recommendation - would appear to give them legitimate grounds to turn the National Front application down.
The report points out that Andrew MacIntosh, organiser of a third proposed march by the anti-English Scottish Patriots, has died, meaning that application cannot proceed.
He killed himself in Craiginches hours before he was due in court on firearms charges linked with a security alert on the day Holyrood opened.
A council spokesman said: "Grampian Police has confirmed in its comments that it is in receipt of intelligence that suggests that a group of locally-based football hooligans, or casuals, intend showing support to the planned march. This would, it is believed, include plans to cause some sort of disturbance in the city centre if the procession is cancelled or postponed.
"The intelligence also indicates that they would be bolstered in number by similar groups from throughout the UK who frequently show support for the National Front."
Police also indicate that the National Front march would be less of a "family event" than the applicant, Dave MacDonald, originally suggested.
Mr MacDonald's initial insistence that only members of National Front Scotland would be involved has also proved misleading, as he has since stated in the organisation's magazine, The Flame, that the parade would be open to all, including National Front members from across the UK.
Grampian Police are said to be investigating a number of allegations that comments made by Mr MacDonald in the Press and Journal in August were racially motivated.
Yesterday he described the suggestion that football hooligans would be taking part in the National Front march as "absolute nonsense". Mr MacDonald added: "We've got no links whatsoever with football hooligans - we don't allow them in our party for a start."
The trades council march was described as "purely confrontational" in a police letter.
The trades council application was made in the name of Sultan Feroz. He said organisers had complied with every request of the police, even managing to get the 100 stewards required to monitor the planned procession of 1,000 people.