Bottles, stones and smoke bomb hurled during English Defence League demonstration in Bradford

By Daily Mail Reporter Daily Mail:
Last updated at 2:34 PM on 28th August 2010

Bottles, stones and a smoke bomb were thrown during demonstrations by supporters of the English Defence League and opponents from Unite Against Fascism in Bradford.

Police had erected a temporary barricade around the city’s Urban Gardens, where the EDL is meeting.

There is only one entrance open to the Gardens and protesters have to pass through metal detectors to gain entry.

EDL Flash point: EDL supporters gather in Bradford ahead of the demonstration which descended into violence

A heavy police presence was also on duty. But trouble flared around 2pm.

EDL supporters began throwing bottles, cans and stones over the barricade towards opponents gathered opposite the Urban Gardens.

A smoke bomb was also thrown over the temporary 8ft high wall separating the two groups, landing on the ground and exploding by uniformed police officers.

EDLDisruption: EDL protesters and opponents from Unite Against Fascism were carrying out static protests

For public safety mounted police pushed people away from the Urban Gardens down Market Street, while other officers forced EDL members away from the barricade into the centre of the gardens.

Earlier police said about 700 had gathered at the Urban Gardens, between 250 and 300 at the Crown Court Plaza for the Unite Against Fascism/We Are Bradford event, and 150 for the community event called Be Bradford – Peaceful Together at Infirmary Fields.

More from the BBC:

Missiles thrown during Bradford EDL demonstration

Scene of EDL demonstration in Bradford EDL demonstrators were penned in at the city’s Urban Gardens by hundreds of police

Bottles, stones and a smoke bomb were thrown during demonstrations by a right-wing campaign group and their opponents in Bradford.

Trouble flared at the city’s Urban Gardens where about 700 English Defence League (EDL) supporters had gathered.

They were being penned in by hundreds of police as a separate group of about 250 from Unite Against Fascism (UAF) assembled for a rival protest nearby.

Police said there were no reports of injuries. One person was arrested.

Officers had earlier erected a temporary barricade around Urban Gardens.

Temporary barricade

EDL supporters began throwing bottles, cans and stones over the barricade towards opponents gathered opposite Urban Gardens shortly after 1400 BST.

A smoke bomb was also thrown over the temporary 8ft high wall separating the two groups, landing on the ground and exploding by uniformed police officers.

For public safety, mounted police pushed people away from Urban Gardens down Market Street, while other officers forced EDL members away from the barricade into the centre of the gardens.

Earlier this month, home secretary Theresa May authorised a blanket ban on marches in Bradford, but this did not prevent “static” demonstrations.

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

5 Replies to “Bottles, stones and smoke bomb hurled during English Defence League demonstration in Bradford”

  1. The comments in the Daily Mail article are worth reading, as witnesses to the live webcam feed are reporting a very different version of events to those described by the MSM.

  2. I think Oldguy is on to something. The government loves violent people. They also love people who will buy them for money. This was the same with the Labour government. With Saudi petro dollars buying up people and financing jihad in all its forms and the foot soldiers of Islam doing their bit to strike terror into the heart of the infidel, the muslims have got both the money and the violence to keep on pushing. A bit of violence from the defence league is a mixed blessing as that does gain respect but there is no money to keep the politicians in the manner they have grown accustomed to. So ultimately it will have limited milage. Still bravo to the great lads who never bow down to Islam! They are the power of English youth.

  3. If there was no problem with the Islamic radicalization of the UK the EDL would never have been formed. The feckless political class having no backbone or b#lls will keep bowing to the radical Islamic street hoodlums, and continue to bash and use the police against the EDL.

  4. The elite may use the police against the EDL but it something they have to do. They have been forced to do this. Makes them upset that people are not bowing down like good little muti culti peasants. Making the elite upset is a good result and their is nothing like a grass roots protest to make politicians wake up albiet only a little from their Saudi funded dreams of Islam.