LONDON — Protesters are gathering at the BBC studios in London on Thursday ahead of a controversial appearance by the leader of the far-right British National Party (BNP) on a top TV political panel show.
They handed out flyers outside Television Centre condemning the invitation to Nick Griffin on "Question Time", which attracts around three million viewers.
Griffin has thanked the BBC for inviting him and hailed his critics for being "stupid" enough to fuel a high-profile debate over whether he should be allowed on, generating huge publicity for the BNP.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown says Griffin's appearance on the show will be "a good opportunity to expose what they are about" but one of his ministers, Peter Hain, has threatened to sue the BBC for inviting the BNP leader.
The BNP wants to see an end to all immigration to Britain and does not allow non-white members, although that is set to change after a recent court ruling.
Large demonstrations and tight security were expected ahead of Griffin's appearance. He says his biggest concern about the evening is "that I might get shot on the way in."
The hour-long show will be screened at 10:35 pm (2135 GMT) on the BBC1 channel but is thought to be being recorded several hours previously. Related blog: Griffin's TV dream could be nightmare for opponents.
Amid the debate over whether the television exposure will boost the BNP or embarrass Griffin, he praised the broadcaster for giving him the slot.
"Thank you, Auntie," he told the Times newspaper, using the BBC's nickname, adding: "I thank the political class and their allies for being so stupid.
"The huge furore that the political class has created around it clearly gives us a whole new level of public recognition."
In a demonstration of his ability to provoke, Griffin used the Times interview to describe US President Barack Obama as an "Afrocentric racist bigot" and said Afro-Americans should have been resettled in Africa "because the two peoples living side by side would cause problems forever".
The BBC insists it has the duty to hold all democratically-elected political parties up to scrutiny.
The BNP is now in its strongest-ever position after two of its members, including Griffin, were voted into the European Parliament.
Weyman Bennett, joint national secretary of the group Unite Against Fascism (UAF), said: "I don't believe the BNP are going to be taken apart in the debate.
"What they are going to get is a massive hustings for their fascist and racist politics and the price for that will be an increase in the number of racist attacks."
Griffin was pelted with eggs at a protest organised by the UAF as he tried to hold a press conference near the British parliament shortly after being elected.
Around 400 people gathered for a protest held by UAF on Wednesday night.
Police said they would provide "appropriate" security on Thursday while the BNP also said it would take its own measures to protect its leader. Within Television Centre, it will be the responsibility of the BBC itself.
The controversy has also helped turn the spotlight on Griffin's personal life. He lives in rural Wales and is married with four children.
Griffin's wife Jackie was quoted in the Daily Mail describing her husband as "an oddball" who saw politics as a game.
"I thought he would grow out of it," she said. "I was earning money, he wasn't -- what a fool I was."
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