nofuture
16-06-2009, 01:35 PM
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1193334/Grieving-son-thrown-cathedral-mistaken-BNP-thug.html
Last updated at 12:40 PM on 16th June 2009
Grieving son thrown out of cathedral after being mistaken for BNP thug
A grieving son visiting a cathedral to pray for his dead mother was thrown out and then searched by police after staff wrongly staff wrongly thought his shaved head and tattoos meant he was a member of the BNP.
Phillip Cadwallader, 43, was accosted in Blackburn Catherdal and asked to leave.
The former support worker was then approached by police officers who searched his rucksack, which contained his running kit.
The incident occurred just days after the British National Party won two seats in the European Elections and after the far right party scored major successes in the East Lancashire area, in particular Burnley.
Officials at the 19th century Cathedral feared he was about to disrupt a BBC Radio 4 broadcast about Jewish concentration camp victim Anne Frank.
As the Cathedral offered an apology, Mr Cadwallader said: 'I am very angry and disgusted at the way the cathedral staff treated me. It was a pretty harsh judgement to make of me.
'The fact is I am starting to go bald so I have my hair cut short to hide that. It's nothing to do with my political persuasion.'
Mr Cadwallader, who was dressed in a shirt, trousers and brogues, had stopped at Blackburn Cathedral at 8am on Sunday en route to a track and field race in Accrington.
He was initially told he could sit inside quietly while BBC Radio 4 conducted a live programme on concentration camp victim Anne Frank from inside the cathedral. But then moments later he was told he would have to leave.
Mr Cadwallader added: "When I woke up in the morning and the sun was shining I thought it was such a lovely day that I would go and pay a tribute to my mum before I went running.
"The choir was singing in the background and it was lovely as I lit my candle.
"Then the Dean came and asked me to leave, but he wouldn't tell me why. The cathedral is a house of God and I think the public should be allowed in, even if there is a recording going on.
"As I was sat on a bench outside waiting for them to finish the radio programme a police officer came up to me and said she would need to check my bag. When they told me why I just couldn't believe it. I am not a BNP member.
"I was quite disgusted by it all. In fact I was really angry and embarrassed by the whole experience.
"The officers told me that someone had thought I was from the BNP because I was tall and have short hair, like a skinhead."
His mother Phyllis died four years ago from a blood clot after a patient kicked her in the stomach as she worked as a psychiatric nurse.
Lancashire Police said they had been called to the cathedral because a man was believed to be acting suspiciously.
A police spokesman said: "Officers spoke to Mr Cadwallader and had no concerns. The matter is closed."
Cathedral officials have offered an apology to Mr Cadwallader and said they had asked him to leave because of previous problems during radio broadcasts from the site.
Canon Chris Chivers said: "The last time we did a radio broadcast it was sabotaged when somebody pulled out wires.
"The BNP are known holocaust deniers and it was suggested to us that the programme would be an easy target for their disruption.
"Unfortunately I can see how the sequence of events occurred.
"The gentleman arrived two minutes before the programme went out live and it aroused suspicions, because he had a back pack with him. Obviously those suspicions were unfounded."
Last updated at 12:40 PM on 16th June 2009
Grieving son thrown out of cathedral after being mistaken for BNP thug
A grieving son visiting a cathedral to pray for his dead mother was thrown out and then searched by police after staff wrongly staff wrongly thought his shaved head and tattoos meant he was a member of the BNP.
Phillip Cadwallader, 43, was accosted in Blackburn Catherdal and asked to leave.
The former support worker was then approached by police officers who searched his rucksack, which contained his running kit.
The incident occurred just days after the British National Party won two seats in the European Elections and after the far right party scored major successes in the East Lancashire area, in particular Burnley.
Officials at the 19th century Cathedral feared he was about to disrupt a BBC Radio 4 broadcast about Jewish concentration camp victim Anne Frank.
As the Cathedral offered an apology, Mr Cadwallader said: 'I am very angry and disgusted at the way the cathedral staff treated me. It was a pretty harsh judgement to make of me.
'The fact is I am starting to go bald so I have my hair cut short to hide that. It's nothing to do with my political persuasion.'
Mr Cadwallader, who was dressed in a shirt, trousers and brogues, had stopped at Blackburn Cathedral at 8am on Sunday en route to a track and field race in Accrington.
He was initially told he could sit inside quietly while BBC Radio 4 conducted a live programme on concentration camp victim Anne Frank from inside the cathedral. But then moments later he was told he would have to leave.
Mr Cadwallader added: "When I woke up in the morning and the sun was shining I thought it was such a lovely day that I would go and pay a tribute to my mum before I went running.
"The choir was singing in the background and it was lovely as I lit my candle.
"Then the Dean came and asked me to leave, but he wouldn't tell me why. The cathedral is a house of God and I think the public should be allowed in, even if there is a recording going on.
"As I was sat on a bench outside waiting for them to finish the radio programme a police officer came up to me and said she would need to check my bag. When they told me why I just couldn't believe it. I am not a BNP member.
"I was quite disgusted by it all. In fact I was really angry and embarrassed by the whole experience.
"The officers told me that someone had thought I was from the BNP because I was tall and have short hair, like a skinhead."
His mother Phyllis died four years ago from a blood clot after a patient kicked her in the stomach as she worked as a psychiatric nurse.
Lancashire Police said they had been called to the cathedral because a man was believed to be acting suspiciously.
A police spokesman said: "Officers spoke to Mr Cadwallader and had no concerns. The matter is closed."
Cathedral officials have offered an apology to Mr Cadwallader and said they had asked him to leave because of previous problems during radio broadcasts from the site.
Canon Chris Chivers said: "The last time we did a radio broadcast it was sabotaged when somebody pulled out wires.
"The BNP are known holocaust deniers and it was suggested to us that the programme would be an easy target for their disruption.
"Unfortunately I can see how the sequence of events occurred.
"The gentleman arrived two minutes before the programme went out live and it aroused suspicions, because he had a back pack with him. Obviously those suspicions were unfounded."