Six arrested and police officer hurt as right-wing EDL march on Halifax

PROTESTS by the extreme right-wing English Defence League and its opponents in Halifax today ended with six arrests and one police officer injured.

West Yorkshire Police said EDL and counter-EDL demonstrations in the town had led to six arrests for public order offences.

A spokeswoman said one officer was injured and suffered a dislocated shoulder while policing the protests in the car park of the children’s museum Eureka.

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Meanwhile, three people were arrested after scuffles broke out as the EDL and anti-fascists marched in Cambridge.

Police estimate 300 people took part in the EDL march this afternoon. A similar number representing United Against Fascism (UAF) and the TUC took part in a counter march in the morning.

Officers were forced to double their cordon on the corner of Silver Street as UAF and EDL protesters came into contact.

Bottles were thrown and several EDL members were taken to the ground by the police.

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Later a police spokesman confirmed that three people had been arrested, although one has now been released without charge.

Alf Polwin, from Peterborough, was among those taken to the ground by police.

He said: “I’m here with my 11-year-old son. I bring him to every march because I want him to see what the real world is like.

“I was trying to protect him when the police started pushing and shoving.”

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East of England MEP Richard Howitt delivered a speech to the counter march. He said: “We publicly attest that the EDL is not welcome in this city because we cannot let the poison of their ideas seep in to the body of our community.

“I am proud to live and work in this, the most international of cities, where one in 10 of my neighbours comes from black or ethnic minority communities.”

In Plymouth there were three arrests as marches were held by the EDL and UAF.

Devon and Cornwall Police drafted in officers from Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, as well as mounted units from Avon and Somerset to assist the force.

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A 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon, a 45-year-old man on suspicion of breach of the peace and a 25-year-old man for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of cannabis.

Superintendent Craig Downham said the marches began shortly after 1pm and were completed by 3.30pm.

“This was a considerable policing operation and my hope is that the public felt reassured by the number of police officers and PCSOs on the streets talking to them,” he said.

“Our aim was to lessen the impact of the marches as much as possible while allowing their right to peaceful protest.

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“With only three arrests and no incidents of note, this should be deemed a success.”

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said three people were arrested following protests in Middlesbrough, which concluded “peacefully” and passed without incident.

One, a 35-year-old man from Gateshead, was arrested in the town centre for a public order offence.

Two men, a 55-year-old from Gateshead and a 29-year-old from Sunderland, were arrested at the train station on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly.