London police nab several EDL thugs
Sun Sep 2, 2012 12:44AM GMT
British police have arrested several people in the London borough of Walthamstow following clashes between members of the far-right English Defence League (EDL) and rival demonstrators.
Large numbers of police forces surrounded protesters from EDL and Unite Against Fascism (UAF) after scuffles broke out as they encountered at the top of Blackhorse road in the borough.
Local residents also joined the demonstrations by putting EDL thugs under a barrage of bottles, firecrackers, and flower pots, when their planned route was blocked by members of the UAF.
UAF supporters held placards that compared the EDL’s chief thug Tommy Robinson to Norwegian mass-murderer Anders Breivik.
Britons living in the district, which is one of London’s most ethnically diverse, have forged unity in their resolve to oppose the EDL thugs. The EDL’s demonstration was initially planned for August 18 but it was postponed.
“The EDL moved the date because it is not confident marching through Waltham Forest,” said Weyman Bennett, UAF’s joint secretary.
The EDL march was eventually ended outside Walthamstow Magistrates Court after large numbers of UAF had moved to prevent the far-right group from accessing their protest point outside the building.
“The only way to stop the police letting the EDL march is to make sure they are out on the streets against them”, said Rashid, secretary of the Lea Bridge Road Masjid.
“We’ve been publicising the anti-EDL demonstration at every prayer and event we’ve held-and we’ve received a positive response each time”, he added.
Khan, the owner of a shop on Blackhorse Road, said: “Why are they here? They are not wanted. This is a peaceful community. We have shown them they are not wanted. If they come back, we will show them again.”
