Nine arrests at BNP protest

Police said they successfully kept protestors apart

Eight people have been cautioned and one is being held in police custody after British National Party (BNP) councillors were targeted by protestors in Burnley.

Flour bombs were thrown as the councillors arrived for their first council meeting on Thursday, since being elected earlier this month.

Members of the Anti-Nazi League stood opposite BNP supporters outside the town hall as the councillors arrived.

A number of protesters suffered minor injuries when scuffles broke out and the arrests were made.

Inspector Martin Hall said: "We kept the protesters apart quite successfully.

These members of the council have been democratically elected and will be treated as equals

Councillor Lillian Clarke

"But it appears that some members of the Anti-Nazi League have used guerrilla tactics and identified some of the cars bringing BNP councillors to the meeting.

"They then ambushed the cars further up the road.

"Arrests were made effectively, and the situation was brought under control very quickly."

Mr Hall estimated that there were about 70 to 80 protesters outside the town hall.

At the beginning of the meeting, Burnley's mayor welcomed the new BNP councillors to the authority.

The meeting was the councillors' first since election

Councillor Lillian Clarke said: "These members of the council have been democratically elected and will be treated as equals.

"They have the same rights no matter what their political persuasions are.

"I hope the members will treat each other with respect at all times and respect the democratic process."

Several BNP councillors stood for election to vice chair positions on council sub-committees, but failed to secure places after receiving no votes from opposing parties.

The BNP councillors hold 15 of the 88 committee positions, but none were elected to the council's executive committee.

The councillors are the BNP's largest ever representation in any form of government in the UK.