BNP stands in borough scarred by racist murder
· Family fears far right party will bring more attacks
· Candidate unmoved by anti-racist opponents
Riazat Butt
Wednesday April 5, 2006
The Guardian
The British National party is fielding a local election candidate in Knowsley, the Merseyside borough where black teenager Anthony Walker was murdered in a racist attack last July.
The Walker family has expressed concern that the far right party has chosen to put up Gary Aronsson in the borough where Mr Walker, 18, a promising A-Level student, died from a blow to the skull.
His cousin, David Okoro, said yesterday: "We're concerned about the forthcoming elections and hearing that the BNP is putting up a candidate in Knowsley. Our intention is to improve and promote racial harmony and unity in Knowsley and we cannot see how this will help. All the statistics show that racist attacks increase when the BNP enters an area."
Anti-racism campaigners have condemned the nomination of Mr Aronsson, 44, who is standing against a Liberal Democrat and a Labour candidate on May 4.
Alec McFadden, from the Merseyside Campaign Against Racial Terrorism, described the BNP's actions as "insensitive and appalling".
Mr Aronsson is contesting the Whitefield ward, which is in the north of the borough and has 2,400 households. The average wage in the ward is around £12,000.
Mr Aronsson, a business studies graduate, was a factory worker but is currently unemployed. He has lived in the area all his life.
He told the Guardian he was a Labour party activist until his membership lapsed in the late 90s, and that he had been a member of the Fabian Society. He said he was unperturbed by opposition to his burgeoning political career. "I've lived in the same street all my life. I don't see why I shouldn't stand."
The borough of Knowsley is predominantly white, working class and, according to Merseyside police, racist attacks are on the rise. In 2003 there were 50 incidents, rising to 109 in 2004. In 2005, there were 156 up to November.
A spokesman for Merseyside Racial Harassment Prevention Unit said it was concerned that the BNP was becoming active in the area. "Racist attacks have gone up, the problem hasn't gone away.
"We speak regularly to victims and the number of people affected by racism is ridiculous. For such a small ethnic minority population the number of racist attacks is disproportionately high. Indian families suffer from racism incessantly.
"It's really quite a worry that the BNP is standing in Whitefield because there will be overspills into other areas. It's already the case that people don't feel safe going out in some areas such as Huyton."
Anthony Walker was murdered near the St John's estate in Huyton, south Knowsley.
He was at a bus stop with his white girlfriend, Louise Thompson, 17, and his cousin, Marcus Binns, 18, when they were taunted. The three teenagers walked on to another bus stop but were followed by Michael Barton, 17, and Paul Taylor, 20.
Sensing trouble, the trio took a short cut through a park, where they were ambushed by Barton and Taylor.
Mr Binns and Louise ran to get help, but Mr Walker was left behind.
When Mr Binns returned he found his cousin on the ground with an axe in his head. Mr Walker died six hours later.
Barton and Taylor were jailed in December. Barton must serve at least 17 years and eight months and Taylor, who delivered the fatal blow with a mountaineering ice axe, will serve at least 23 years and eight months in prison.
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