Violence at anti-mosque protest

UKPA

3 avril 2010

Violent clashes broke out on Saturday between riot police and right-wing protesters.

About 2,000 members of the English Defence League (EDL) descended on Dudley town centre in the West Midlands to demonstrate against plans for a new mosque.

Some of the protesters broke out of a pen in a car park, breaking down metal fences and throwing the metal brackets at officers, who were armed with riot shields and batons.

Members of the demonstration started fighting their own stewards who were trying to calm them down as they attacked the fences penning them in.

The EDL had put signs up which read « Labour forcing mosques on Britain » and « No one wants this mosque ».

Some demonstrators held placards reading « Muslim bombers off our streets » and « Say no to the mosque ». The national anthem was played on a speaker system while demonstrators waved the flag of St George.

Dudley Council said in a statement on its website: « We didn’t invite the EDL to our town and we don’t want them here. »

But the council said it did not have the power to ban the event. It said: « The council has worked closely with the police to do all it can to protect and support local people, traders, businesses and the town centre. The EDL is proposing a static protest (rather than a march) and there is no legal requirement for an organiser of such a protest to notify the police or the council of their definite plans. »

The mosque is planned for Hall Street with details on the design and positioning of the building due for submission by July 2011. In July last year the council lost a high court challenge to prevent the planning application being given the go ahead.

The EDL protesters managed to break out of the car park by pulling down fences and barging their way past riot police officers. About half the group then ran off through the town. Lines of riot police officers fought running battles with protesters as they tried to contain the mob who pulled down barriers blocking off roads.

Anti-Muslims protest turns violent in UK

presstv.ir

Sun, 04 Apr 2010

Police in Britain have arrested nine people after clashes with anti-immigrant ultra-right demonstrators in the central England town of Dudley.

The West Midlands Police said they had deployed numerous officers to prevent any clashes between anti-Muslim demonstrators and those from a counter-rally organized by Unite Against Fascism (UAF).

Two-thousand supporters of the far-right English Defense League or EDL were protesting against the construction of a mosque in the English Midlands.

Scuffles broke out with police when EDL supporters broke down wire fences and ran through streets close to the site for the planned mosque.

Demonstrators started fighting their own stewards who were trying to calm them down as they attacked the fences penning them in.

The police made five arrests for possession of offensive weapon, two for public disorder and two for criminal damage.

The mosque is planned for Hall Street near the center of Dudley with details on the design and positioning of the building due for submission by July 2011.

In July last year the council lost a high court challenge to prevent the planning application being given the go ahead.

Mosque protesters in England clash with police

euronews.ne

04/04/2010

Violent clashes have erupted between far-right protestors and police after a march against the bulding of a mosque in Dudley, central England.

Nine were arrested when members of the English Defence League broke through wire fences put up to keep them away from anti-fascist protesters.

Just a few hundred metres away, an anti-racism group held a counter-demonstration.

Organisers say 1,500 members of Unite Agaisnt fascism took part, while police estimate some 2,000 EDL supporters were at the scene

The EDL, which claims its mission is to halt the Islamification of Britain, has staged numerous similar marches since its formation in 2009.

It sprang up in response to a group of Islamic extremists staging provocative protests in an English army barrack town each time the bodies of dead soldiers were returned from Iraq.

~ par Alain Bertho sur 4 avril 2010.

Publié dans émeutes, riots