Protesters will be demonstrating against the appearance of Nick Griffin, leader of the fascist British National Party at the Queen’s garden party this afternoon.

Demonstrators were due to meet at 2pm by Little Ben, opposite the Palace Theatre, near Victoria station in London.

UAF believes the invitation for Griffin – a Holocaust denier with a criminal conviction for inciting racial hatred – to attend the event sends out the wrong message to every ethnic minority citizen of this country, and to every antiracist.

Nick Griffin is not a politician like any other and should not be treated as such. He is leader of the BNP, a fascist party whose fundamental aim is to get rid of the black and Asian population of Britain.

The Queen should not be entertaining Griffin. By extending official courtesies to the BNP leader, the palace is helping to make the organisation’s vicious racism appear “respectable”.

UAF joint secretary Weyman Bennett said:

The invitation for Nick Griffin to attend the garden party is an insult to black and Asian people and anyone who defends our multiracial society. It sends a message that the BNP’s fascist and racist agenda is seen as acceptable. It is deeply regretable that Buckingham Palace issued an invitation to Holocaust-denier Griffin. That’s why UAF supporters are protesting.