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WALES: Libraries block web access to BNP site(Daily Post (Liverpool) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) A NORTH Wales council was accused of political bias yesterday after the British National Party website was found to be blocked by library computers. Denbighshire library users who try to access the site are greeted with a message claiming: "Your organisation internet use policy restricts access to this web page at this time. Reason: racism and hate is filtered". Other local authorities in North Wales claim the site is accessible or that any blocks will be removed. But Denbighshire bosses claim the matter is in the hands of Websense, the firm which runs the filter. The British National Party claims the block amounts to censorship of a democratic and legal political party. After its success in the Assembly elections when its share of the Wrexham vote went up to 9.5%, the BNP is worried the web site will be blocked in the run-up to council elections next year. BNP treasurer John Walker, from Mancot, on Deeside, said: "It looks to us like local authorities decide from a political point of view they don't like the BNP and don'twant members of the public to see our website. "They know they cannot justify it because the BNP website clearly does not propagate violence or racial hatred, it is purely political bias despite their protestations." He suggested anyone who could not access the site at a library should ask what the policy was. Mr Walker said the public needed access to all political opinion in order to make informed decisions. The BNP found its website blocked at Prestatyna and Rhyl libraries, runby Denbighshire County Council. It has also complained to Conwy and Wrexham councils. A spokesman for Denbighshire said: "We are aware of the complaint by the BNP about the lack of access to their website at our libraries. "Denbighshire, like many other authorities across the country, uses the Websense internet filter to protect staff and children from accessing certain websites. "We would like to stress it is not the council that makes the decision over the classification of websites. "Like other authorities we do not have the resources to monitor every single website and therefore use the services of Websense to provide this vetting service. Any complaint regarding access to the sites would need to be addressed by Websense." But in Conwy, a block was lifted. A spokes woman said: "Filtering can be basic and can sometimes eliminate material that is perfectly acceptable. "The library service is willing to consider releasing any such site after careful checking. "It was brought to our attention earlier this month that access to the BNP site was blocked, but as soon as it was brought to our attention we were able to resolve the matter." Alan Watkin, chief leisure, libraries and culture officer for Wrexham Borough Council said: "We are aware of comments made by an individual user of Wrexham library, and we are looking into the situation." Anglesey, Gwynedd and Flintshire County Councils all say the BNP's website is accessible at their libraries. [email protected] Copyright 2007 MGN Ltd, Source: The Financial Times Limited |