Violence erupts at EDL protest (From Stourbridge News)

Violence erupts at EDL protest

6:37pm Saturday 3rd April 2010 in News

VIOLENCE broke out in Dudley Town Centre this afternoon as tensions boiled over at the EDL protest.

English Defence League members threw bottles, cans, coins and pieces of wood as they pulled down metal railings.

Police in riot gear tried to contain the protestors who were situated in Flood Street car park, before members breached the fences.

The protest appeared to begin peacefully as thousands of EDL supporters were led to the protest site by police just after 2pm.

But within an hour back-up teams of police officers were called to the scene alongside the police dog unit to deal with the supporters as they scaled lampposts and pulled down the safety barriers.

Officers were also forced to use CS Gas to contain some of the unruly crowds, who were in the town to demonstrate against the planned £18 million mosque in nearby Hall Street.

Some supporters were treated at the scene for injuries, including one of the EDL leaders who suffered a head wound in the incident.

EDL members then breached the exit barriers as police attempted to escort them back to their coaches, with hundreds seen running towards the town centre and the Hall Street site as others made their way to the Unite Against Fascism protest which was taking place in Stafford Street.

To watch a video taken by The Dudley News as EDL members breached the security fences, click the link below.