VANDALS “intent on causing offence” by daubing racist messages around Aldershot town centre have sprayed a swastika on a wall opposite the football ground.

The Nazi symbol was daubed in yellow paint on a wall in Victoria Street with the symbols ‘BNP’ (British National Party), ‘NF’ (National Front) and ‘British Movement’ (BM), a reference to the now defunct British Neo-Nazi Party.

Roger Robertson, the south-east co-ordinator for the BNP and a candidate in May’s local elections in Hart, said the graffiti was part of a smear campaign against his party.

“If our party had sanctioned something like this then it would be highly damaging towards us,” he said.

“These people will stop at nothing to try to damage us in the local elections.”

Mr Robertson, whose eldest son is in the Royal Navy, described the graffiti as “outrageous”.

Cllr Graham Tucker, the council’s portfolio holder for safety and regulation, urged the public not to panic and refuted Mr Robertson’s claims.

“This is done by mindless thugs who are intent on causing offence but I’m sure they are in the vast minority,” he said.

“The three main political groups would not stoop that low to start a smear campaign and I’m sure the people of Aldershot have the intelligence to ignore it.”

He did concede that graffiti was a problem in the town, albeit a small one.

“The British Movement died a long time ago and I’m surprised it has surfaced again,” he added.

Aldershot MP Gerald Howarth said the graffiti would cause particular offence in the Home of the British Army.

He added: “I know that the BNP will put up candidates in the local elections and it’s up to them to publicly disown this form of graffiti as it disfigures the town............

http://www.aldershot.co.uk/news/2008...mpaign?rss=yes

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Living under the tyranny of a Labour government.