Protesters have vowed to turn up in droves at the British National Party's annual Red, White and Blue Festival to be held in Denby next week.
The event will take place on fields off Codnor-Denby Lane, from Friday, August 15 to Sunday, August 17, even though there will be no licence to sell alcohol and play live music after rge BNP formally withdrew its application.
The anti-BNP rally ha
s been organised by groups including Notts Stop The BNP, East Midlands Unite Against Fascism; Derby, Mansfield and Nottingham Trades Council and Derby Unite Against Fascism.
Coach loads of people are expected to arrive from all over the country to protest outside the festival.
Supporters of Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP and anti-fascists from Derby, were in the area on Monday, distributing leaflets to residents explaining why they will be protesting.
Trevor Masters, from the group, said: "We want to support local residents by making sure that the BNP don't come back here next year."
Protesters are expected to march along Codnor-Denby Lane to Codnor Park, where they will hold a rally, at about 11am on, Saturday, August 16.
Alan Warner, who owns the land where the festival will be held, said he was not worried: "The police have got everything in hand. They will shut the footpath so no-one will be able to get into the site and if they do they will be arrested."
He also claimed he was already being targeted by the groups. "I got up on Sunday morning and there were 16 hypodermic needles at the bottom of my garden. I phoned the police."
A England flag stolen from his property had been returned by post with anti-BNP slogans and Antifa scrawled on it. Antifa is the national and international alliance of militant anti-fascists.
The police are investigating the needles incident and have taken the flag away for forensic analysis.
Supt Howard Veigas said: "We are working with everyone who wishes to attend and hold a lawful protest and will police the event accordingly."
Last year's festival passed off peacefully without protest.
