BBC programme makers pay English Defence League leader’s air fare

However, the BBC confirmed that The Big Question, which is produced on the
corporations behalf by Mentorn Media, had indeed agreed to cover his travel
costs.

A BBC spokesman said: “On the weekend that the EDL and far-right groups are
holding a rally in Denmark, the moral and ethical debate programme, The Big
Questions, will be asking if Britain is too complacent about the Far Right.
Contributors travel costs are covered as standard by Mentorn Media who
produce The Big Questions. As a key contributor to this particular
discussion, Stephen Lennon’s travel from Denmark is entirely necessary and
reasonable. We are not paying him a fee for his appearance”.

The cost of the ticket is understood within the programme’s budget and not an
additional cost to the BBC. However, as the commissioners of the programme,
its budget is ultimately financed by licence payers.

The “European Counter-Jihad Meeting” was attended by less than 300
activists, drawn from the Danish, Norwegian, German, Finnish and Polish
Defence Leagues, as well groups like Stop Islamisation of Europe.

Supporters of the the EDL and its European sister organisations were
outnumbered by a factor of more than 10-to-one by a parallel demonstration
organised by anti-fascist and Left-wing campaigners.

The anti-fascist demonstration drew as many as 5,000, according to Jørn
Andersen, one of the organisers.

“We don’t need that many people,” Mr Lennon retorted. “When we first started
out in England we were outnumbered by the anti-fascists.”

“We have come to plant a seed. That seed will go back to every European
country and it will develop across Europe.”

He said that the EDL planned to follow the demo in Aarhus with further rallies
in Paris and Brussels as well.

Booked at late notice, a Ryanair flight from Aarhus to London Stanstead is
likely to have cost between £50 and £100.

The city of Aarhus was notorious ten years ago for regular clashes between
local neo-Nazi groups and Denmark’s militant Left, and the two
demonstrations were kept apart by a large police presence.

“It is one of the largest operations we’ve ever had in Jutland,” Bent Preben
Nielsen, chief inspector of the Aarhus police, said.

A small group of anti-fascist campaigners who attempted to enter the park
chanting when Stephen Lennon began to speak were rapidly blocked.

Police arrested 82 Left-wing activists after they attempted to enter the
square where the counter-jihad meeting was held, leaving four police
officers with minor injuries.

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