Two Midland counter-protesters arrested at Britain First demonstration
Two anti-fascist activists from the Midlands were arrested as they protested at a Britain First demonstration this weekend.
A 29-year-old from Selly Oak, Birmingham, and a 64-year-old from Telford were among three counter-protesters detained as Britain First marched through Telford on Saturday.
Debris was thrown and insults were chanted as the far-right group passed the counter-protesters and a woman in her 50s on the Britain First side of police was injured when a missile was thrown.
The woman was treated and discharged at the scene and a 27-year-old man from Gloucester was arrested on suspicion of affray.
Meanwhile the Birmingham man was arrested on suspicion of breaching Section 14 of the Public Order Act - which had been put in place to ensure protesters stayed within their designated area and did not approach Britain First - and the demonstrator from Telford was detained on suspicion of breach of the peace.
More than 150 members of Britain First gathered at Telford Central station to march against the "horrors of Muslim grooming gangs" in the town they have dubbed the "new Rotherham".
Some of the group spoke of an upcoming civil war against British Muslims, adding that they see "taking to the streets" as the only way to make up for an establishment that refuses to act on their concerns.
"If everybody stood up for their own and we did it together, these Muslim monsters would be gone like that," deputy leader Jayda Fransen said in the shadow of Darby House, near Telford Shopping Centre, to cheers and applause from the crowd of men, women and children.
"They're waging Jihad in this country. We are currently under attack. It's an overall takeover. We are just giving our country away and our authorities are bending over backwards to appease them.
"Everyone in this entire town, in this country and Europe should be standing with us. If you're not, you're condoning paedophilia."
As Ms Fransen and party leader Paul Golding spoke to the crowd, they got shouts of support from passing traffic and pedestrians.
It was a very different atmosphere from their march past Addenbrooke House minutes earlier, where anti-fascists and unionists had gathered in a counter movement.
Police on horseback made sure the two sides were kept separate as insults and debris were hurled across the road, the two groups just metres apart.
Superintendent Tom Harding of West Mercia Police said the vast majority of people involved on both sides of the march had been peaceful.
"We planned a proportionate policing response to ensure a peaceful event with minimal disruption; for the vast majority of those involved this was the case," he said.
"However disorder broke out before and during the march which saw three arrests take place.
"This was a very highly emotive and sensitive situation and public safety - for those involved in the event and others caught up in it - must always remain our priority in such incidents.
"We will continue to engage with the community over any concerns and work with our partners to address any issues."
Missing from the list of speakers was Polish priest Jacek Mi?dlar, who had been advertised as attending the march. Instead the 28-year-old was detained by UK border officials after landing at Stansted airport in Essex.
The leading figure for right-wing extremists in Poland has been branded a "fanatical hate preacher" by anti-racism campaigners in his home country.
The Home Office said: "An individual was detained at Stansted airport at 8.40am this morning by Border Force officers working closely with Essex police.
"All passengers attempting to enter the UK are subject to checks by Border Force officers against police, security and immigration watch lists. Where we believe someone poses a risk, Border Force officers can – and do – refuse them entry."
During his speech, Britain First leader Paul Golding likened the "patriots" who had marched in Telford to the Knights Templar, a Catholic military order closely tied to the Crusades.
"We are the modern Knights Templar, battling against Islam like our ancestors did for 1400 years," he said.
He asked Britain First supporters to applaud the police, who he said had been fair and impartial.
"For the first time ever we've held a march in a town and the police have been cooperative, fair and reasonable," he said.
