Protesters attacked BBC as the British National Party (BNP) leader Nick Griffin was invited for an interview to the Corporation.

“Anti-fascist protestors scuffled with police outside BBC TV Centre in west London before the show was filmed.

Minister Peter Hain said the BBC had legitimised the BNP's ‘racist poison’.

But the corporation defended the invitation to the leader of the anti-immigration party to appear, saying it had a duty to be impartial.

The BNP leader was booed at the start of the recording and accused of trying to ‘poison politics’ as he was attacked by fellow panellists and the audience.

He was asked by a member of the audience about why he had described Islam as a ‘wicked and vicious faith’.

Mr Griffin said the religion had its ‘good points… it wouldn't have let the banks run riot’ but it did not fit in with ‘the fundamental values of British society, free speech, democracy and equal rights for women’.

He admitted sharing a platform with former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke — but described him as ‘almost totally non-violent’.

Asked whether immigration policy had fuelled the BNP, Mr Straw said he did not think it had.

Mr Griffin blamed the ‘political elite’ for imposing ‘an enormous multicultural experiment on the British people’,” BBC informs Oct. 23.

According to the source, Metropolitan Police arrested six protesters and three police officers injured in the protests.

“Weyman Bennett from Unite Against Fascism accused the BBC of ‘rolling out the red carpet’ to Mr Griffin and said his appearance on the flagship discussion programme ‘will lead to the growth of a fascist party’ and promote violence against ethnic minorities.

About 25 people managed to get through the gates and run towards the BBC building when security guards opened them to let in a car. A few minutes later they were led, dragged or carried back outside.

There were also protests outside BBC buildings in Bristol, Liverpool, Nottingham, Glasgow and Belfast,” BBC reads.