A FORMER teacher and British National Party member has accused police of wasting taxpayers’ money after he was arrested for protesting.

Adam Walker, from Spennymoor, County Durham, was arrested by West Yorkshire Police in Wakefield, on Tuesday.

He was part of a ten-man BNP protest group supporting Wakefield and District Housing electrician Colin Atkinson.

Mr Atkinson faces a disciplinary hearing by the housing group for refusing to move an 8in palm cross on his work’s vehicle dashboard.

Mr Walker, an ex-technology teacher at Houghton Kepier Sports College, Houghtonle- Spring, near Sunderland, pledged his support.

He and the BNP group handed a letter to the bosses of the housing group, supporting Mr Atkinson.

He said: “We were there to protect the rights of a Christian who has been persecuted for his beliefs.

“We handed in the letter at 1pm and then 15 officers arrived on the scene.

“I was parked in a private car park and they said I was parked over a path and told me I had to move. I agreed to move and they tried to give me a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt in a private car park.

“I refused to give them my name because I felt I’d done nothing wrong. I have a solicitor looking into it now.

“They stuck the ticket on my windscreen without my name on it and it was thrown on the floor.

“They opened the car door and took my keys and then the police dragged me from the car and handcuffed me.

“They took my belongings from me as they walked me to their van and they took me to the police station, but didn’t charge me.

“They expect me to pay the £60 fine for the ticket, but it won’t be paid.

“I was exercising my right to peaceful protest and the police action was another big waste of taxpayers’ money.”

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “We can confirm one man was arrested in relation to unrelated matters.

“He was given a fixed penalty ticket in relation to minor motoring offences.”