Six injured and 20 arrested during English Defence League protest in Dudley

Jul 18 2010 by Matt Lloyd, Sunday Mercury

A 16 YEAR-old girl suffered a broken leg as six people were knocked over “like skittles” by a car fleeing far-right protesters in the Black Country.

Cops said the driver of the car had come forward after ploughing through a group of English Defence League (EDL) supporters in Dudley yesterday afternoon.

The six, aged between 16 and 42, were hit at the junction of King Street and High Street at 4pm as cops attempted to stamp out disorder following a protest against plans for a mosque in the town.

A eye-witness said EDL supporters had surrounded the car and may have thrown stones, or cans of beer, at it.

Asking not to be named, he said: “The driver must have panicked and put his foot down. They were thrown up into the air like skittles.

“It looked like he was trying to get away. He’d stopped at the traffic lights and then they were all around the car.

“I could hear bangs but I didn’t know if they were punching the car or throwing stones, or cans, at it.”

The youngest to be hurt, a 16-year-old-girl suffered a broken leg while others were left with head, leg and foot injuries.

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: “We are in the early stages of the investigation but initial accounts suggest a family car was caught up in a pocket of protesters. Whilst trying to work its way clear the car collided with some of the protesters.”

Shops across the town had closed early and some boarded up windows as the EDL demonstrators, and counter-demonstrators from Unite Against Fascism, once again descended on Dudley.