THE GUARDIAN: More than 1,600 officers on horseback and in riot gear pen in 700 activists, including BNP members and soccer thugs
Far-right activists threw smoke bombs and missiles and fought with the police as trouble flared in a protest organised by the English Defence League.
Bricks and bottles and smoke bombs were thrown at anti-racist supporters and police as around 700 EDL activists – including known football hooligans and BNP members – held a "static protest" in Bradford city centre. Mounted officers and others in riot gear were attacked as they pushed the EDL into a penned area. Skirmishes continued as EDL speakers addressed the crowd and there was more violence as its supporters were put back on coaches.
More than 1,600 officers from 13 forces were involved in the police operation amid fears the demonstration would descend into violence. Police said there had been five arrests.
The EDL, which has held demonstrations in towns and cities across the country over the past 12 months, had predicted that thousands of its supporters would turn out in Bradford for what was dubbed "the big one", but police said there were around 700 people.
Earlier in the afternoon coachloads of EDL activists had chanted "Allah, Allah who the fuck is Allah?" and "Muslim bombers off our streets". >>> Matthew Taylor and Martin Wainwright | Saturday, August 28, 2010
THE GUARDIAN: English Defence League demonstration in Bradford sees minor clashes: Bottles and stones thrown as police separate EDL from anti-fascist groups in Yorkshire city >>> Amy Fallon | Saturday, September 28, 2010
GUARDIAN VIDEO: Filmmaker Navdeep Singh Kandola speaks to members of the Muslim and Sikh communities in advance of an English Defence League demonstration this weekend
