74 arrested in Bolton EDL rally protest

Yakub Qureshi and John Scheerhout

March 20, 2010

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Seventy-four people have been arrested during rival demonstrations by the English Defence League and opponents in Bolton.

Police said at least 55 of those arrested were from the UAF and nine from the EDL.

Hundreds of officers struggled to keep apart the chanting crowds, who were separated by a 30ft wide barrier in Victoria Square.

EDL protest in Bolton - as it happened

Greater Manchester Police said the majority of those arrested were in a group of anti-EDL protestors, who began their protest earlier in the day just before 11am.

Some of the protestors, who included members of trade unions, local mosques and the Unite Against Fascism movement, had earlier tried to enter an area designated for the EDL to gather in and were forced back by a wall of police.

The bulk of EDL supporters – who had assembled at separate sites - were escorted to the south side of the square at 1pm under heavy police escort.

Many wore English Defence League hoodies and face masks and carried the St George’s flag and the US star and stripes along with a number of political banners.

Police on horseback and specialist dog handlers were used to control the crowd on both sides.

The protest reached a dramatic peak at 3pm – four hours into the event – when a number of bottles and cans were thrown by both sides.

Dozens of officers with riot shields began to move EDL supporters from the square after some protestors lifted up metal barriers separating the two groups.

Police reported 2,000 EDL supporters at the protest and 1,500 from opposing groups.

Many businesses in the surrounding streets had decided to close for the day. Many which remained open reported few or none customers.

One shopworker said: “It’s like a ghost town. Everyone has been put off because of reports of trouble.”

Others said they refused to be deterred by reports of possible trouble.

The manager of a local bakery said: “We are not going to be frightened by this. Even if the event is going to harm our business, we are determined to stay open. The police and council have done a good job and we have felt safe.”

Thousands of readers followed live coverage of the protests on the MEN website. Reporters Yakub Qureshi and John Scheerhout filed live reports, pictures and video from the rally in Bolton. Replay the coverage on this link:

EDL protest in Bolton - as it happened

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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All

Is It Me? (20/03/2010 at 17:51)

An unholy alliance of mosques,union members,assorted communists and rent a mob. Makes you wonder if the EDL really has a point,after all! Why the Stars and Stripes though?

oohmatron, North West (20/03/2010 at 18:04)

Standing by for the anti-police comments....

Stickman, Bury (20/03/2010 at 18:52)

it's a disgrace that the town centre closed for the day due to the fear of violence from 2 bunches of yobs who seem intent on causing trouble. Shameful behaviour from all involved!

Daniel Gent (20/03/2010 at 19:43)

2000 EDL? the police are having a laugh. Why were they escorted out the square first then? the police, judging from their conduct today, are obviously correctly assesing themselves as EDL!

C.O. Jones (20/03/2010 at 19:54)

What a way to waste a Satrurday..

Set of complete idiots on both sides of the barriers..

LEASE ON COUNCIL HOUSE IS 250 YEARS, MANCHESTER (20/03/2010 at 19:55)

GOOD LUCK TO EDL

Panzer 391, Salford (20/03/2010 at 20:02)

A good day out spoilt by troublemakers from the UAF.

Tezza, Tyldesley (20/03/2010 at 20:46)

I am no supporter of the English Defence League but after watching the news on many channels today (Saturday) it would appear that they majority of arrests were from the Unite Against Fascism supporters and yet that does not get mentioned in this news paper report,

The headline just says “Dozens arrested in Bolton EDL rally protest”

Of Denton, Tameside (20/03/2010 at 21:48)

In the meantime antisocial behaviour and crime is up everywhere else in Greater Manchester as virtually ALL the police are dealing with these racist morons!!!!

Kaze no Kae (20/03/2010 at 22:10)

The attempt to breach the "EDL safe area" - so named by a neon sign which was apparently part of the police preparations - was ill advised and while I wouldn't say the police were justified in repelling it, they were at least within their rights to do so. However, after at least half an hour of relative calm, the police started to 'crack down' on the demonstration generally, first by denying entry to groups arriving late, then by wading into the crowd with batons flying to violently arrest apparently arbitrary victims, then by forcibly separating sections of the demo and progressively shrinking the cordon so that it appeared to many people we had no choice but to fight - it appeared that the only places the police were willing for any anti-fascists to go was a cell or a hospital.

CorneredAllTheLuck, Tameside (20/03/2010 at 22:11)

If you don't resist fascists they will only gain confidence and before you know it they will be dictating who does and who does not enjoy the right to walk the streets and live their lives free of fear. They were repugnant bullies in the 1930s, in the 1970s, and they still are.

pigroast, manchester (21/03/2010 at 01:43)

How dare anyone be proud of being british!!!! What an absolute liberty.

Super Leaguer, Bolton (21/03/2010 at 07:15)

Should these sort of protest be allowed to happen these days?

I have never seen anything like it before in Bolton plenty of shops were boarded up late on Friday afternoon and on Saturday I have never seen as many police on duty in my life.

Loads of shops decided to close for the day and in my opinion questions need to asked now should this sort of protest every be allowed to take place in Bolton again.

I spoke to a Policeman shortly after 5pm and it was clear to see he was shattered but he told me the whole day went well without too much trouble.

Cllr Ken Hulme, Delph (21/03/2010 at 10:21)

Flirty Kitty, Salford (21/03/2010 at 13:02)

If the EDL were left to do their protest without any opposition, none of these arrests and none of the trouble would have occured and people wouldn't have paid much attention to the protest.

B V Flute, Newton Moor (21/03/2010 at 14:48)

Great - How many thousands of pounds of tax payers money spent of policing this nonsense ? how many hundreds of thousands of pounds lost income to Bolton town centre businesses?

For what ? I support the right to democratic expression but not the right of hooligans to have an away day punch up to Bolton Town Centre. Surely public order counts for something.

Where next - Oldham Town Centre ? - that should start a riot - ban these EDL shindigs before someone gets seriously hurt.
Cllr Ken Hulme, Delph.

Yes, and ban the UAF too, they were the main perpetrators of the violent disorder

Like Flirty Kitty commented 'If the EDL were left to do their protest without any opposition, none of these arrests and none of the trouble would have occured and people wouldn't have paid much attention to the protest'

stargazer, rochdale (21/03/2010 at 14:52)

It's better to be able to demonstrate than to have those rights taken away like in communist Russia.

Theowolfe (21/03/2010 at 15:09)

"I support the right to democratic expression but" Cllr Ken Hulme, Delph

By the very fact that you put the word "BUT" at the end of your statement reveals that you don't believe in the right to free expression.

emma (21/03/2010 at 15:15)

All seems a little pointless to me - can't see anything constructive coming out of all this mess

Dev_Monkey (21/03/2010 at 15:26)

"If the EDL were left to do their protest without any opposition, none of these arrests and none of the trouble would have occured and people wouldn't have paid much attention to the protest."

Ha ha ha. And I bet if the Manchester United and LIverpool fans were left alone without any Police there would be no trouble! You idiot.

BluePurgatory, Manchester (21/03/2010 at 16:33)

I was working in Bolton Town centre yesterday and the main problem, was the UAF and the Police. It was ironic that the ELD were having their rally on the opposite side of the square. Guess which side the UAF were facing and sqauring up to? The Police. It was evident that the UAF have a bigger beef with the police than the ELD. Whats the betting if the Police did not turn up neither would the UAF!

Manchester UTD (21/03/2010 at 16:44)

What exactly has been gained from this protest? To me it seemed like the attention was on the occurrence of violence more than the purpose of the silly protest. A waste of a day and money for both businesses and the police.

Deejay, Bury (21/03/2010 at 16:47)

Once again we see the EDL protests - and once again it is the so called "peaceful" UAF which is causing the trouble. I'm certainly no fan of the EDL, and abhor what they stand for (as I do with any extremism). The UAF have once again shown themselves to be violent, unrepentant and that they have no interests in the democratic rights of people to march and protest. In Birmingham they rioted, in Manchester they tried to, and in Bolton they tried to. Do they not realise that they give credence to the EDL by behaving in this way?

ebble, manchester (21/03/2010 at 16:55)

Let's have a law which bans a counter-protest if a march or meeting has already been arranged for a certain time and place.

The UAF seems to cause a great deal of trouble by choosing to disrupt legal demos of other groups.

Cllr Ken Hulme, Delph (21/03/2010 at 17:06)

There have to be limits to any democratic expression of views Theowolfe.

I don't condone violence from any quarter - far left or far right and I believe the police and relevant authorities should act to prevent public disorder that could lead to serious violence. So yes I say BUT - my support for democratic expression is conditional.

I pity the poor copper who wastes a day policing an event in which he/she might get injured. I deplore the damage done to local businesses and am appalled at the damage being done to community relations. I resent the cost of this to the local tax payer.

An event like this should not be allowed anywhere near Oldham Town Centre - it could spark off another riot - and that's why I say BUT there are limits to what should be allowed in the name of democratic expression.

Or do you like a good old punch up Theowolfe ? Come to Oldham Town Centre on a Friday or Saturday night and you will find lots of them - we don't need any more.

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