BNP leader's sorry story

There’s an internet campaign demanding BNP leader Nick Griffin aplogise for Holocaust denial. Stirrer editor Adrian Goldberg – whose Jewish grandparents perished at the hands of the Nazis – explains why he’s signing up.

When I first got the email asking to put name to the petition, I’ll admit I wavered.

The internet is over-stuffed with requests to sign this or join that, and this seemed like just another excuse to hit the “delete” button.

But then I thought again.

My fathers’ parent died as a result of racist extremism, and Griffin’s denial of the fact of their extermination – and that of millions of others – is an insult to their memory.

Compared to their loss of life, the mild inconvenience involved in adding an electronic signature doesn’t seem much does it?

The dossier drawn up by the anti-fascist organisation Hope Not Hate is certainly a persuasive one.

They recall that during a trial for incitement to racial hatred (for which he was convicted in 1998) Griffin wrote, “I am well aware that the orthodox opinion is that 6 million Jews were gassed and cremated or turned into lamp shades.

“Orthodox opinion also once held that the earth is flat ... I have reached the conclusion that the 'extermination' tale is a mixture of Allied wartime propaganda, extremely profitable lie and latter witch-hysteria."

In an interview with the Mail on Sunday Griffin later added: "It's well known that the chimneys from the gas chambers at Auschwitz are fake, built after the war ended."

Griffin has never, so far as I am aware, recanted these views. Now Hope Not Hate are inviting him to simply say sorry – and I’m more than happy to join the clamour.

Come on, Nick. It’s the least you can do.

The Hope Not Hate blurb says it all: “We need your help in fighting back against these disgusting and degrading lies.

The Holocaust remains a horrific scar on humanity's conscience - but the Nazi message of hate still remains a corrosive force within our society.

”It damages all of us.

”Only by confronting and defeating this hate can we build a country based on humanity and justice. We must fight his lies and he must be held to account.

“Please join our campaign to get Griffin to publicly retract these remarks and then invite your friends to do the same.”

Sign the petition here http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/

Adrian Goldberg
The Stirrer