« Bataille de Birmingham » 8 août 2009
[Youtube=w.youtube.com/watch?v=OB0RfExbx3c]
[Youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOPP3roehLM]
[Youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-OmBHQXTqE]
(note du site : la plupart des vidéos disponibles proviennent de l’extrême droite)
Battle of Birmingham: 35 held after riot
mirror.co.uk
By Louisa Pilbeam 10/08/2009
These were the ugly scenes outside a busy shopping centre when far right thugs clashed with anti-fascists in a full-scale bloody riot.
The rival groups fought a terrifying pitch battle after bungling police allowed them to hold protests at the same time.
Families ran for cover as the yobs laid into each other with planks, bottles and placards. Officers in riot gear struggled to control the violence, arresting 35 people.
Angry shoppers in Birmingham blasted police for letting the right wing extremist Casuals United group hold its demo near another by Unite Against Fascism.
Hannah Taylor, 24, from London, said: « It was chaos. I can’t understand how these protests were allowed to go ahead. » David Glover told how the groups charged at each other on Saturday at the Bullring centre.
The 28-year-old web designer, said: « There was a big roar and hundreds of people ran past the police up the street. »
Three people were injured in the rioting.
CU is made up of mostly white football fans while the UAF is largely Asian youths.
Police defended the decision to allow both demos. Chief Inspector Mark Payne said: « We have no powers to stop peaceful protests and would not seek to do so. »
The riots came as former Government adviser Paul Richards warned ministers have made a « dangerous » blunder by diverting anti-terror efforts to target far-right groups. Some police have been ordered to keep an eye on fascists.
But Mr Richards said: « Recent plots and bomb attacks have come from Islamist groups recruiting British Muslim Youth. The far-right are disgusting but they aren’t a terrorist threat. »
‘Patriot’ league plots more clashes with anti-fascist activists
• Thirty-five arrests after city-centre confrontation
• Group claims it is opposed to Islamist extremism
Sunday 9 August 2009 22.26 BST
Groups that say they are opposed to Islamist extremism are plotting fresh clashes with anti-fascist organisations this summer after violent battles between the two sides in Birmingham city centre led to 35 arrests over the weekend.
The English Defence League and Casuals United, two linked groups, are planning protests against what they see as militant Islam in Manchester, Luton, Harrow and other as yet secret locations, according to a website.
The move comes after their supporters fought battles with Asian men backed by Unite Against Fascism activists in front of shocked shoppers at the Bull Ring shopping centre.
In ugly scenes that began after the groups assembled at about 5pm on Saturday, wooden planks, bottles and placards were thrown, and groups kicked and stamped on victims on the ground while men engaged in fights.
« It was chaos, » said Hannah Taylor, 24, from London. « I had only come up to do a bit of shopping, and found myself in the middle of a full-blown riot. People with small children were running into shops for cover. The whole city centre just descended into some kind of war zone. »
Three people were injured and there were several reports of property damage, including to a car.
The conflicts began after backers of the English Defence League, which describes itself as « a mixed race group of English people, from businessmen and women, to football hooligans », gathered outside Waterstone’s bookshop in a planned demonstration against militant Islam.
Unite Against Fascism mounted a counter demonstration, telling its supporters that « everyone in the area should come along and show these thugs that their brand of vicious racism is not wanted in Birmingham or the West Midlands ». Scores of police officers hemmed in the chanting protest group, which denies it is racist. There were violent skirmishes around the fringes of the demonstration.
The website of Casuals United yesterday used photographs of a man being kicked and stamped on the ground by Asian men as a recruiting aid for fresh protests. « Next time will be bigger now, thanks to the photos of the disgusting attacks on British people trying to speak up against extremists and their supporters, » it warned. « We will arrive unannounced and neither the police or the scum will know any details. »
Over the August bank holiday weekend, the group is planning a protest against a sharia court at Harrow central mosque and in Luton, which it claims is « home of some of the most unsavoury al-Qaida supporters in the UK ». Manchester city centre will be a target in early October, it says.
West Midlands police said that to prevent a repeat of Saturday’s disturbances, it would consider injunctions stopping potential troublemakers going to Birmingham and the surrounding area.
The threat of further trouble came as the government announced plans to reshape its policy towards the Muslim community in Britain, partly by pledging to tackle far-right extremism as well as Islamist extremism. Revised guidance is to be drawn up this summer on the operation of the £45m Prevent strategy, which is designed to challenge violent extremist ideology and disrupt those who promote it.
The fresh approach is expected to ensure that funding goes to a wider range of organisations, and a more explicit strategy to resist white racist extremism is also being developed.
« You speak to any Muslim on the street anywhere in this country and they will say they are as opposed as you and I are to extremism, to terrorism, but the frustration is that they are constantly linked with terrorism as a community as a whole, » said Shahid Malik, the Dewsbury MP and minister for cohesion. « We cannot dismiss or underestimate the threat from the far right. There are white areas which are severely neglected. What we want to do is engage in those white communities to make sure that they are listened to, they feel they are respected. »
Khalid Mahmood, the Labour MP for Perry Barr, Birmingham, said yesterday that tensions between the rival groups needed to be taken more seriously. « I think the groups ought to know better, and certainly if there was going to be rallies by both these groups at the same time it would always lead to this sort of confrontation. My issue is not just that it took place, but that it took place in the city centre, where families and children were just going about their normal lives. To put that at risk is terrible. »
Chief Inspector Mark Payne, of West Midlands police, described Birmingham’s city centre as one that remained « a safe place to live, shop and visit ».
Police review anti-Islamic rally
Sunday, 9 August 2009
A police review of an anti-islamic rally and counter protest in Birmingham city centre in which 35 people were arrested is being carried out.
West Midlands Police said a « post operation investigation » was under way.
Police said Saturday’s rally was made up of football fans calling themselves the English and Welsh Defence League and Casuals United.
The counter-protest was organised by campaign group Unite Against Fascism, West Midlands Police said.
Police described the trouble as « sporadic incidents of disturbance in the city centre » with the majority of the arrests being for disorder.
‘Burning flag’
Three people were hurt on Saturday but numbers may rise, say police.
West Midlands Police said it also expected the number of arrests to increase as photographs and video images are studied.
Anyone found to be engaged in acts of criminality will be prosecuted, a spokesman said.
There was one report of criminal damage to a vehicle, but more were expected. No police officers were hurt.
Resident Gary Nichols witnessed the disturbances from his city centre flat and said he was unable to go outside for about two and a half hours.
Ch Insp Mark Payne said the force was looking at applying for injunctions to prevent people travelling to the West Midlands who are intent on causing trouble.
« The events of yesterday are a very rare occurrence and normal city centre life resumed within a short space of time, » he said.
« I want to reassure all members of the community that the city centre is, and will continue to be a safe place to live, shop and visit.
He said the force has no powers to ban or stop peaceful protests and would not seek to do so, but if « criminal acts or racially aggravated incidents are reported, then police will arrest and prosecute anyone found to be responsible ».
Police blame yobs for Birmingham demonstrations violence
icnetwork.co.uk
Aug 11 2009 by John Marsden,
Police believe that gangs of yobs jumped on the back of opposing demonstrations in Birmingham city centre to cause violence.
Among those arrested was a 21-strong group of “local football supporters”, held on suspicion that they were running around trying to provoke trouble.
All of those arrested were from greater Birmingham.
Police said factions of youths from Birmingham broke away from the two protest groups seemingly intent on disorder.
More than 30 men, aged 15 to 32, were arrested.
Of those, 27 have been released on bail pending further inquiries, three have been charged with offences and three released without charge.
A 16-year-old Birmingham youth was given a final warning for using words or behaviour likely to cause alarm, harassment or distress.
A 32-year-old Birmingham man was charged with using threatening, abusive, insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause or provoke violence. He was bailed to appear before magistrates next Monday.
A Birmingham man, aged 21, was charged with failing to comply with a football banning order and a 22-year-old man charged with being drunk and disorderly. He was bailed to appear before magistrates on Friday.
A police investigation is now under way, using similar tactics to those that brought to justice yobs who rioted on the streets of Lozells five years ago.
Detectives are now examining hundreds of hours of video footage, taken from police evidence crews on the ground who filmed the event and also from the city’s banks of hi-tech CCTV cameras of the chaotic scenes in a bid to identify the troublemakers.
Anyone convicted of violence could also face an injunction banning them from the city centre.
“Isolated incidents of disorder occurred when small groups of protestors broke away and actively sought to engage in criminal behaviour,” said Chief Insp Mark Payne, spokesman for West Midlands Police.
“A post operation investigation is under way into any criminality that took place.
“As part of this investigation, police will be studying photographs and video images, arresting and prosecuting anyone identified found to be engaged in acts of criminality.
“We will also look at applying for injunctions to prevent people travelling to the West Midlands who are intent on causing trouble.”
Between 70 and 90 protesters from a recently-formed group, known as either the English and Welsh Defence League or Casuals United, were met off coaches as they arrived in Birmingham.
After being contained in Victoria Square, their demonstration, described as being against Islamic fundamentalism, finished at 6.30pm and they left the city.
A counter protest by the group Unite Against Facism gathered near the Bullring.
Scores of police officers wearing riot gear were drafted into the city to police the events and restore calm as “sporadic” incidents of disorder broke out.
“The events are a very rare occurrence and normal city centre life resumed within a short space of time. I want to reassure all members of the community that the city centre is, and will continue to be, a safe place to live, shop and visit,” added Chief Insp Payne.
“It is important to be aware that West Midlands Police have no powers to ban or stop peaceful protests, however, if criminal acts or racially aggravated incidents are reported, then police will arrest anyone found to be responsible.”
Battle of Brum
10th August 2009
RACE riots turned the heart of Birmingham into a war zone as anti-fascist protesters clashed with a right-wing group.
Terrified onlookers ran for cover when the bloody brawl erupted near the city’s famous Bullring shopping centre.
Victims were left covered in blood as wooden planks, bottles and placards flew through the air and protesters burned flags.
After 33 people were held, pol ice were slammed for allowing the rival demos to take place at the same time.
Terrified shopper Hannah Taylor, 24, from London, said: “I had only come up to do a bit of shopping, and found myself in the middle of a full-blown riot.
“People with small children were running into shops for cover – the whole city centre just descended into some kind of war zone.”
Another shopper, Emily Bridge water, added: “We ended up being locked in Primark,
“The shutters came down and the alarms went off as the riot police tried to regain control of the street. It was very frightening.”
Gary Nichols was trapped inside his nearby flat for two-and-a-half hours as the battle raged.
He said: “It started off with a group of white guys who were chanting: ‘England, England.’
“I thought they were just football fans, but then a larger group of black and Asian people turned up and it all kicked off.
“You had people burning the Union Flag. It all seemed to be very systematic – groups were arriving in cars and getting involved in the violence.”
The main march was staged by Casuals United, formed after British squaddies were abused by Muslim fanatics at a parade in Luton.
Opponents claim they are made up of football hooligans and trouble-making members of far-right groups and want to spark racial tension.
The counter-demo was set up by campaigners Unite Against Fascism.
Broken banners littered the makeshift battleground outside the shopping centre after the riot.
West Midlands Police said two people were injured and there were reports of criminal damage, including some to a car.
They said they were reviewing the staging of the two demonstations.
Local MP Khalid Mahmood – who had called for the march to be banned – said: “I predicted this would happen when the Casuals announced their protest. I condemn both sides for taking part in these scenes which have brought shame on Birmingham.
“People have a democratic right to protest. But perhaps in future West Midlands Police should look at holding sensitive demonstrations on separate days.
“That way they might avoid the scenes which have blighted our city centre.”
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