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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Britain First speech from Belfast council chamber investigated | Britain First speech from Belfast council chamber investigated |
| (6 days later) | |
| Video shows group’s deputy leader Jayda Fransen making an address while wearing red robes and sitting in lord mayor’s chair | |
| Henry McDonald Ireland correspondent | |
| Wed 10 Jan 2018 10.03 GMT | |
| Last modified on Wed 10 Jan 2018 10.29 GMT | |
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| Belfast city council is investigating how the deputy leader of Britain First delivered an anti-immigration video from the lord mayor’s chair. | Belfast city council is investigating how the deputy leader of Britain First delivered an anti-immigration video from the lord mayor’s chair. |
| Video footage was posted on Facebook of Jayda Fransen making a speech from the council chamber. | Video footage was posted on Facebook of Jayda Fransen making a speech from the council chamber. |
| Jansen had appeared in court in Belfast on Tuesday where she was told she would face trial in April over charges connected to alleged hate speeches made in the city. | Jansen had appeared in court in Belfast on Tuesday where she was told she would face trial in April over charges connected to alleged hate speeches made in the city. |
| The 31-year-old from south London denies the charges, which relate to a Britain First rally outside Belfast city hall last year. | The 31-year-old from south London denies the charges, which relate to a Britain First rally outside Belfast city hall last year. |
| In the video, Fransen is seen in red mayoral robes sitting in the lord mayor’s chair and thanking people for supporting her in the case. She was the guest of the independent unionist councillor Jolene Bunting. | In the video, Fransen is seen in red mayoral robes sitting in the lord mayor’s chair and thanking people for supporting her in the case. She was the guest of the independent unionist councillor Jolene Bunting. |
| Parties across the political spectrum at Belfast city hall condemned the use of the lord mayor’s chair by the far-right leader. | Parties across the political spectrum at Belfast city hall condemned the use of the lord mayor’s chair by the far-right leader. |
| Bunting defended Fransen sitting in the chair saying it was done “on the spur of the moment” while she was showing her around the council chamber. | Bunting defended Fransen sitting in the chair saying it was done “on the spur of the moment” while she was showing her around the council chamber. |
| The former Democratic Unionist lord mayor Brian Kingston said Bunting had demonstrated a “gross error of judgment” by bringing Jansen into the chamber. | The former Democratic Unionist lord mayor Brian Kingston said Bunting had demonstrated a “gross error of judgment” by bringing Jansen into the chamber. |
| The Alliance party councillor Sian O’Neill said the invitation to Jansen was a “gross abuse” of council facilities. | The Alliance party councillor Sian O’Neill said the invitation to Jansen was a “gross abuse” of council facilities. |
| “It is an abuse, by councillor Bunting of her privilege to access the robes, the chamber and the lord mayor’s chair to create a false perception of a link between the council and Britain First,” O’Neill said. | “It is an abuse, by councillor Bunting of her privilege to access the robes, the chamber and the lord mayor’s chair to create a false perception of a link between the council and Britain First,” O’Neill said. |
| Meanwhile, Britain First’s leader, Paul Golding, is expected to appear in a Belfast court later on Wednesday. He faces charges of allegedly making hate speeches at the same rally Fransen addressed outside Belfast city hall last year. | Meanwhile, Britain First’s leader, Paul Golding, is expected to appear in a Belfast court later on Wednesday. He faces charges of allegedly making hate speeches at the same rally Fransen addressed outside Belfast city hall last year. |
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| Northern Ireland | |
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