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

Jul 18 2010 by Matt Lloyd, Sunday Mercury

It was the third time this year that the town has been a focal point for the two groups, hitting traders hard in the pocket.

The police spokesman said 20 people had been arrested throughout the day for offences including public disorder and possession of an offensive weapon, but it was unclear which of the groups those arrested came from.

As the EDL supporters gathered at the pre-arranged Stafford Street site, one man launched a verbal attack on the group, branding them “a disgrace”.

Jim Nicholls, from Shropshire, who is a teacher in Dudley, said his father fought the Nazis to stamp out the views held by the EDL.

He came face to face with members of the group who had to be pulled away by their own stewards as the argument threatened to spill into violence.

After the confrontation Mr Nicholls remained defiant. “I won’t be scared by them,” he declared.

“It’s an absolute disgrace, traders have had to shut down because of this. My father fought against the Nazis against these things. This is how it started in the 1930s.”

Following speeches from EDL supporters, who described their movement as a war against Islam, small groups broke through the police cordon and wreaked havoc in the town centre.

Fences set up to contain the protest were torn down and thrown at riot cops and police dogs, who were out in force.

Several store windows in the town were smashed and cars damaged during running battles with police in riot gear.

Prior to the protests the Dudley resembled a ghost town with shops closing early and some boarding up windows after violence erupted at the two previous EDL demonstratrations.

The group has vowed to repeat protests until controversial plans for a new mosque in the town are scrapped.