BBC.
Far be it from me to cast doubts over the numbers the police are giving out, but at least 500 were in Covent gardens, 1000 at Kings Cross, and 300 at Liverpool Street and that was at 1pm an hour before they were due to be escorted to the demo site. Overall estimates put EDL numbers at about 2,000 and no trouble other than a police attempt to arrest "Tommy Robinson" after his speech. As far as my sources can tell, there were only 4 arrests.The English Defence League (EDL) are protesting in east London - despite a ban on marches in six London boroughs.
Several hundred protesters were outside Liverpool Street Station, a BBC reporter said. Police were escorting them towards Aldgate High Street.
BBC London's Paraic O'Brien said the atmosphere was rowdy, with a lot of shouting and incendiary chants.
There have been no clashes with rival activists. A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said it was "very quiet".
Earlier police said a group of EDL supporters had gathered outside King's Cross Station with another 500 protesters in Whitechapel.
I don't know who thought that banning the EDL from chanting or flying their banners would work (higher plod probably), the EDL had already said if any attempt was made to stop them then they'd return on the 22nd of October ater the ban had been suspended. Fortunately the police on the ground have far more sympathy with the EDL than the political officers running the various forces.The activists are supposedly prevented from chanting or waving their flags while walking as that would constitute a march.
O'Brien confirmed the protest was on the move through Aldgate High Street at the behest of police and there was chanting.
Twitter:
Overheard in Brick Lane, copper: "The #EDL have done what they were told, it's you lot that haven't."
Yes, the UAF idiots and assorted Muslims who were foolish enough to believe the propaganda the UAF put out proved incapable of behaving themselves yet again.
Despite the claims that there would be violence, there was none, what happens after the EDL have left is none of our concern.
Update, apparently there was talk that the EDL didn't make it actually into Tower Hamlets, though we do have pics of a bride crossing in front of the demo in Alie Street, Tower Hamlets, also at 7pm members of the EDL were still at Mile End right in the heart of Tower Hamlets.
5 annotations:
Kettled on Tower Bridge? For some reason it's bringing to mind the climax of 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' on the Golden Gate Bridge (in making this comparison please bear in mind that it is the apes who are more intelligent than the police in the film).
The police used it as the dispersal site apparently
I've just done a post on the EDL, after the protest and the Mail article. The PTB are scared of the people.
The Mail gives a somewhat different view today, but surprisingly, I didn't hear a mention on the BBC. The ludicrous thing about the Mail report is all the photos of men (with blurred faces) holding guns whom the Mail claims to be EDL members! Somebody has been hard at work with Photoshop!
It was covered by the 6 am news on Radio 4, EP. Whether more important things have happened to knock it out of the bulletins since then, I don't know.
You should never believe the Daily Mail, or its Sunday version. They make stories up to suit the prejudices of their disapproving vinegar faced old trout readers.
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