The day violence rocked a city centre. Police chief's verdict as EDL thugs jailed

Speaking as the last of 52 people were sentenced for their part in the trouble, DCI Simon Wallis said those who thought it was acceptable to behave in a violent way had been 'brought to task and brought to justice.'.

More than 2,000 supporters of the EDL descended on the city centre for the demonstration in July2013. Racial tension was high following the Lee Rigby killing and mosque attacks in the Black Country prior the protest.

More than 1,000 police officers were drafted in to police the march at a cost of £1 million; the most West Midlands Police had ever spent on an operation.

However, the demonstration on July 20, 2013 descended into disorder as police and protestors clashed, with officers being on the receiving end of punches and kicks by some of the EDL supporters, while missiles including bottles and bricks were also thrown at them.

Up to 30 officers were injured during the disorder, with one police officer sustaining serious head injuries, though he was subsequently discharged from hospital and 33 people were arrested.

DCI Wallis, who was one of the officers at the rally, said he hoped the communities which suffered disruption on the day were satisfied with the sentences.

"We wanted to bring people to justice," he said.

"We are happy that these people coming to Birmingham thinking it is acceptable to behave in a violent and disrespectful way have been taken to task and brought to justice.

"That offers something to the communities and businesses in Birmingham which had suffered.

"The police were tasked with trying to ensure a peaceful protest and allowed views to be aired, but what quickly became apparent was that out of the 2,000 EDL protestors, some clearly did listen to some of the speeches, but the footage we had showed a large number of people paid no attention to speeches and engaged in violent behaviour to police officers and other people.

"It was a totally unacceptable day of violence for some who had no interest in the speech," he said.

Around 200 EDL supporters became embroiled in the violence, which continued for a period of two hours in the Broad Street and Centenary Square areas.

A number of EDL protestors climbed on to bus shelters in Broad Street and threw bottles and cans, while others pulled down metal fences around the Rep theatre in Centenary Square and hurled bricks, bottles and pieces of steel at police lines near the Hyatt hotel.