Four charged after BNP festival

Four anti-BNP demonstrators have been charged after a protest against the far-right political party's 10th annual Red, White and Blue festival.

Three have been charged with public order offences and a fourth with obstructing the highway after the demonstration in Codnor, Derbyshire.

Most of the 1,500 people estimated to have attended Saturday's protest were co-operative, said Derbyshire Police.

Nineteen people were held for "sporadic behaviour" - fewer than in 2008.

Court dates for those charged have yet to be fixed.

Aerial camera

The police operation cost about £500,000 and involved more than 500 officers.

A spokeswoman said 18 of those arrested were men and their ages ranged from 21 to 49.

The protesters were watched by an aerial camera mounted on a remote-controlled drone.

Demonstrators from United Against Fascism joined forces with the TUC and Amber Valley Campaign against Racism.

Most demonstrators gathered in Codnor's Market Place, chanting, "Nazi scum, off our streets" and waving placards.

BNP deputy leader Simon Darby said: "Local people wouldn't even know we were here if they didn't protest.

"We are just ordinary people having a bit of a laugh in the sun."

At last year's BNP event more than 30 protesters were arrested, although no-one was charged with an offence.

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