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Nigel Farage stages ‘mini carnival’ in Croydon - including steel band - as Ukip fights racism accusations Ukip carnival in Croydon descends into chaos as party continues to fight racism accusations
(about 2 hours later)
Ukip has held a “carnival” in Croydon this afternoon, as Nigel Farage continues to defend the party against accusations of racism. A “carnival” staged by Ukip in Croydon this afternoon descended into chaos after clashes between protesters and party supporters - leading Nigel Farage to decide against turning up at all.
The event included a steel band and was planned as a “celebration of the ethnically diverse backgrounds” of the party’s candidates in the south London borough, the Croydon Advertiser reported. The event had included a steel band and was party sources initially said it would be a “celebration of the ethnically diverse backgrounds” of the party’s candidates in the south London borough.
Yet the gathering, described by a source earlier as as more “like a street party” than a political rally, descended into chaos as Ukip supporters clashed with protesters and campaigners on Croydon High Street. But things quickly got out of hand after the band, Endurance Steel, walked out amid reports that they had not been told they would be playing for Ukip.
Winston McKenzie, a black Ukip candidate in Thursday's election, argued with local teenagers about whether he was a leader of the community while also being in the party, and used a megaphone to make a speech urging people to make Britain great again. And after arguments broke out between the party's candidates and demonstrators waving placards calling Nigel Farage “racist scum”, the former boxer and prospective MEP Winston McKenzie said his the leader had decided against attending due to “security concerns”.
Channel 4's political correspondent Michael Crick, attending the carnival, wrote on Twitter that the steel band members stopped playing when they were told it was a Ukip event, and said they would not have attended if they had known beforehand. The so-called street party was marked throughout by peaceful but noisy clashes among scrums of people outside the Whitgift shopping centre, watched over by police and surrounded by a large pack of reporters awaiting Mr Farage's arrival.
Mr Farage was expected to attend himself later on, and it was thought he would be making a speech to appeal to black and ethnic minority voters. Mr McKenzie addressed the crowd with a megaphone, saying: “I want to thank all of the patriotic people in this country who are fed up, let down by the situation.
The event comes after the Ukip leader was branded “a racist” by Labour MP David Lammy for comments he made about living next-door to Romanians. “I'm sick to death of hearing the same rhetoric come from the same stale political parties.
“It's time people woke up and realised this country is being disenfranchised.”
The rally broke up shortly after it was announced that Mr Farage would not be coming, and one supporter said he was disappointed not to be able to meet the leader.
The eventful party came after the Ukip leader was branded “a racist” by Labour MP David Lammy for comments he made about living next-door to Romanians.
David Cameron said Ukip had “condemned themselves during this campaign with a succession of pretty unpleasant remarks”, and described Mr Farage’s answers during a car-crash LBC interview on Friday as “appalling”.David Cameron said Ukip had “condemned themselves during this campaign with a succession of pretty unpleasant remarks”, and described Mr Farage’s answers during a car-crash LBC interview on Friday as “appalling”.
Tommy Tomescu, a Romanian dentist who is standing in the European elections on Thursday as president of the Europeans Party, called for the Ukip leader to be prosecuted for incitement to racial hatred.Tommy Tomescu, a Romanian dentist who is standing in the European elections on Thursday as president of the Europeans Party, called for the Ukip leader to be prosecuted for incitement to racial hatred.
He told the BBC’s Daily Politics programme: “We demand the Crown Prosecution to go and analyse the case against Nigel Farage for incitement to hate.He told the BBC’s Daily Politics programme: “We demand the Crown Prosecution to go and analyse the case against Nigel Farage for incitement to hate.
“There are attacks which have happened against Romanians, Poles, Bulgarians, Slovakians and other eastern Europeans which have coincided with the increasing rhetoric and campaign of hate portrayed by the Ukip leader and sometimes by Conservatives who have joined him, or Labour, which apologises for the fact that they allowed in so many eastern Europeans.“There are attacks which have happened against Romanians, Poles, Bulgarians, Slovakians and other eastern Europeans which have coincided with the increasing rhetoric and campaign of hate portrayed by the Ukip leader and sometimes by Conservatives who have joined him, or Labour, which apologises for the fact that they allowed in so many eastern Europeans.
“I think [Mr Farage] should be prosecuted, clearly. He doesn't have to be above the law, just because the other parties are afraid that they will lose votes.”“I think [Mr Farage] should be prosecuted, clearly. He doesn't have to be above the law, just because the other parties are afraid that they will lose votes.”
Yesterday an “open letter” from Mr Farage appeared as a full-page advert in the Daily Telegraph, in which he insisted that Ukip is “not a racist party”, before going on to quote a series of crime figures about Romanians.Yesterday an “open letter” from Mr Farage appeared as a full-page advert in the Daily Telegraph, in which he insisted that Ukip is “not a racist party”, before going on to quote a series of crime figures about Romanians.
But in a Newsnight interview last night, Mr Farage admitted that it had been wrong to say Romanian gangs were responsible for 7 per cent of all crime in the EU.But in a Newsnight interview last night, Mr Farage admitted that it had been wrong to say Romanian gangs were responsible for 7 per cent of all crime in the EU.
“It was simplified,” he said of the figure. “It was criminal networks, not crime.”“It was simplified,” he said of the figure. “It was criminal networks, not crime.”
He also said he regretted using the words “you know what the difference is” at LBC radio when asked about the distinction between Germans or Romanians living next door.He also said he regretted using the words “you know what the difference is” at LBC radio when asked about the distinction between Germans or Romanians living next door.
“That gave people the impression that I was saying, 'A nod a wink, we don't really like Romanians'. I regret doing that but I do absolutely insist we must have a proper debate about this,” he said.“That gave people the impression that I was saying, 'A nod a wink, we don't really like Romanians'. I regret doing that but I do absolutely insist we must have a proper debate about this,” he said.