EDL: BOLTON BLUNDERERS

Thousands of EDL supporters and anti-racists clashed in Bolton city centre last Saturday (20th) in a confrontation that led to 67 arrests.

Both groups assembled in Victoria Square where they were separated by hundreds of riot police, dogs and crowd control barriers. As protesters arrived in the square an electronic sign directed the EDL to one side of the square and the UAF to the other and police attempted to pen the opposing groups in with harris fencing. Free roaming anti-racists, including a large number of local Asian youth, confronted the smaller blocs of EDL that remained mobile.

Over fifty of those arrested were reported to be UAF supporters. Among them was UAF organiser Weman Bennet, who was seized by a police snatch squad. He has been charged with suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage.

In the evening after the protest, a man was stabbed by a man wearing an EDL T-shirt. Witnesses reported seeing EDL supporters behaving aggressively and abusing customers in the Oddfellows Arms. When the man asked them to leave and escorted them outside, he was jumped on by EDL thugs. After his friend intervened, he was slashed on the shoulder with a cut throat razor.

* See www.manchesteruaf.org