WISBECH anti immigration demo organiser Dean Everitt said that UKIP speakers withdrew from today’s rally for fear the media “would use their appearance as racist propaganda”.
Mr Everitt told a crowd of some 300 in Wisbech Park that two Lincolnshire UKIP councillors originally due to speak had sent letters explaining their position.
“They still personally support the campaign to cap mass immigration and the open doors policy even though they cannot be here personally today,” he said.
“This is not about race but about numbers.”
The absence of Councillor Alan Jesson and Councillor Bob McAuley may have shortened the rally but Mr Everitt, and his co organiser Sharon Jardine, left supporters in no doubt about their position.
Mrs Jardine insisted she was a UKIP member and would have stood in the recent elections in Wisbech but was barred because she lives in Tydd Gote and outside of the county.
Her ‘Wisbech Immigration Issues’ Facebook page now had over 1,000 supporters and had grown rapidly because of reported crimes in the town.
“People realised they had somewhere to talk to about immigration without being shouted down,” she said.
Mrs Jardine queried health treatment received by immigrants, alleged landlords were filling three bedroom houses in Wisbech with up to 12 people, and questioned why so many businesses- particularly pubs- were now run by immigrants.
She said the recession had hit Wisbech hard, like elsewhere, but in Wisbech “guess what shops are being replaced with? Yes if you live in Wisbech you cannot help but be aware of alcohol selling outlets. We even have a Lithuanian burger van.
“I now won’t go to the Sunday market because it’s been taken over”.
She said foreign cars were prevalent and many driven illegally yet they are not checked.
“Why are they not being caught and have their cars crushed?” she said.
John Goude spoke from his wheelchair to complain about drinking and anti social behaviour in Waveney Road where he had lived for three years.
He alleged the problems were caused by migrant families and said police had failed to tackle the problems.
Another speaker complained that in her street she and her friend had “a serious problem with foreigners doing ‘smack’”
She told the crowd: “They are always throwing needles in alleyway and my garden. I have been to the council and their answer was to put a sharps bin on the back of my friend’s gate!
“We have called police several times but they never turn up.”
Mrs Jardine later said she and her supporters “do not have an issue with hard working immigrants who come here to contribute but we have a problem with Government not listening to us.”
Mr Everitt then spoke again to ask the crowd “are you happy with the murder rate in Wisbech? In Boston in 1986 we had one murder. That was the last one till the eastern Europeans arrived. We have now had 10.
“We didn’t murder those people.”
As the rally broke up police – there had been some 30 on duty but mainly PCSOs and Specials- continued to stand well back as people left for home.
Chief Inspector Mike Winters said police had been aware of some “more extreme” elements that had arrived but walked away after realising it was a peaceful affair!
He said police had, as always, routinely filmed the rally and he also said some people “have complained to me that the speeches bordered on inciting racial hatred”.
However no arrests had been made “although a few people have been warned about their behaviour”.
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