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EDL protest bill tops half-a-million pounds (From Stourbridge News)
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EDL protest bill tops half-a-million pounds
11:19am Wednesday 21st July 2010
TAXPAYERS face an eyewatering bill of more than half-a-million pounds after the latest English Defence League (EDL) protest in Dudley.
The return of the controversial EDL, on Saturday July 17, cost Dudley Council £150,000 to fund additional staff plus facilities including toilets and fencing as well as preparation work in the protest zone.
West Midlands Police are also counting the cost of the rally, 900 officers from around the UK were involved in Operation Belvedere to contain an estimated 500 EDL members on Stafford Street car park and prevent confrontation with anti-fascist activists at a counter demonstration in Tower Street.
The force believes the operation will set the public back by £400,000.
Councillor Anne Millward, leader of Dudley Council, said: “Dudley Council does not have the powers to ban this protest but we have made it clear from the outset that we are opposed to the EDL and have worked closely with the police to do all we could to protect, reassure and support local people.”
Town traders were left paying a hefty price in lost business after many premises, including the market, closed amid fears the demonstration would become violent.
Cllr Millward said: “Honest, hard working people who run local shops and businesses have again been hit as hard as anyone by the EDL’s pointless protest.
“While we were encouraged to see some open for business, many were again forced to close.”
Trouble flared during the protest when a group of EDL supporters attempted to break through police lines and, later in the day, officers in riot gear clashed with protestors throwing cans, bottles and bricks.
There were also incidents away from the official protest site during the day.
A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: “Around 20 offences have been recorded to date, of criminal damage caused to cars and premises.
“Amongst the premises attacked were residential homes around Alexandra Street, cars parked in roads surrounding Stafford Street, restaurants on Wolverhampton Street and the Hindu Temple.
“Many of these locations saw windows smashed, and damage caused to fencing. A couple of vehicles were damaged as they were targeted whilst being driven through the town.”
A total of 21 people were arrested during the protest for alleged offences including 17 for violent disorder, two for affray, one for a public order offence and one for possessing an offensive weapon.
Cllr Millward said: “Yet again this group of outside extremists have shown they are incapable of demonstrating peacefully and have brought public disorder and violence to our town.”
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Your Say Your Stourbridge
flobknob, stourbridge says...
6:15pm Wed 21 Jul 10
lucy_18, dudley says...
7:49pm Wed 21 Jul 10
federico, Pinner says...
11:49pm Wed 21 Jul 10
The man in the car which ran over the EDL chavscum was trying to protect his family. If he had killed the chavscum they would have been elligible for a Darwin award.
ozpat, McLaren Vale says...
9:49am Thu 22 Jul 10
lucy_18, dudley says...
12:42pm Thu 22 Jul 10
federico wrote:more like it was muslims attacking white people get your facts right. Actually the man who ran people over did it on purpose alot of people saw it and the driver next to him was a muslim
The Nazi scum of the EDL showed their true colours for all to see on Saturday. Smashing up a Hindu temple and attacking non-whites people in their cars. The man in the car which ran over the EDL chavscum was trying to protect his family. If he had killed the chavscum they would have been elligible for a Darwin award.
flobknob, stourbridge says...
1:06pm Thu 22 Jul 10
federico wrote:I take it then that you actually saw this man deffending his family then? Or is this a option that has been formed from the edited and censored version of events that was dictated to the media to print for public consumption. Are you that naive that you actually think the truth could be printed? Everyone keeps on calling them nazi scum because that is what they are told to think though the media and if you think the UAF are all little angels without their own thugs that didn't carry knifes pieces of wood with nails sticking out hunting in packs for victims to pray on mostly innocent people because they wasn't in the protest your more naive than I thought was humanly possible. As for smashing up the hindu temple I can't say if they did or not but it would seem strange considering the EDL have hindu members and also sheiks seems a funny kind of racist group to me. I am not a follower of the EDL but I believe that if you report a story that it should be unbiased and contain the facts from both sides. I can't help feel that the EDL have been targeted you only have to look at the headlines. I feel that it is unfair on the majority of the members that are there for a peaceful protest to be judged because of receiving bad press. Thereprobably are a small few that attend with their own agenda but that happens everywhere and not to stero type are typically young males full of testosterone. Branding all of the EDL as racist thugs is just the same as saying every muslim is a terroriest
The Nazi scum of the EDL showed their true colours for all to see on Saturday. Smashing up a Hindu temple and attacking non-whites people in their cars. The man in the car which ran over the EDL chavscum was trying to protect his family. If he had killed the chavscum they would have been elligible for a Darwin award.
Shadeyman, Wolverhampton says...
1:08pm Thu 22 Jul 10
The police put a section 14 order n the event at around 1400 hours. They were fully aware that the mainbody of the edl numbering over 1500 had not made it to the event due to the police trying to run them around Dudley hoping they would give up and go home. A convoy of 20 vans coaches and cars was taken by the police directly to the UAF demo thinking it was the EDL site.
They turned them around but too late many were off the coaches. Flash point1.
Convoy two taken to castlegate roundabout then turned away from the access to the demo and sent off toward Tipton, mistake 2 Three hundred EDL left their coaches and transport to get to the site, Flash point 2. Three to four hundred on foot from tipton due to the police stopping them from going by coach to the demo arrive at castlegate. Flash point 3.
Police send people up dual carridgeway towards the bridge without escorts knowing local asian youth numbering 300 are on the grass banking without police escort, asian youth attack and EDL fight back. Flash point 4.
Police on footbridge and roundabout do nothng and open warfare erupts with wepons and many people are hurt. Two riot police move to grass and stop as 40 EDL attack youth who are throwing bricks at people on dual carridgeway, mainly families.
Police send people into town centre unescorted to find their way to demo site, fully aware that asian youths are also in the centre unescorted, they clash just past the bus station where more people are injured. Flash point 5
Police send EDL back through town unescorted from the demo as they will not allow the coaches into the demo site to pick them up.
Fighting erupted all over Dudley and the police do not leave their elected placements.
Police send EDL back down the dual carridgeway to castleggate again unescorted knowing that the asian youth are still fighting with the edl on the dual carridgeway which th police have still not secured.
To make things worse the police shipped in six coach loads of local lads from tipton into the demo site with coaches they ordered yet kept the EDL out.
Looking at all the video and photographs i have noticed that in nearly all the pictures where their is violence you see hardly any one wearing EDL tops or shirts which is strange as all the EDL coaches i observed the people were wearing EDL regalia.
I am neither blind or stupid and what i saw was a police opperation that was a mitigated disaster and was without doubt the main cause of all the trouble that happened in Dudley. I spoke with variouse officers and i was informed that they were told to keep the edl away from the demo and run them around town till the disperced. I confirmed this with a senior officer from outside the dudley division and after showing my councillor id he told my they had the same instructions.
The peple of Dudley and the councill should have this investigated and when the information comes out and it will they should claim all the costs and losses through damage from the West midlands police. I would have no problem in sueing the WMP for causing this wide spread destruction and huge number of people being hurt and injured.
WMP you should hold you heads inshame.
flobknob, stourbridge says...
1:51pm Thu 22 Jul 10
It works both ways....
lucy_18, dudley says...
3:43pm Thu 22 Jul 10
The Villan , Stourbridge says...
4:39pm Thu 22 Jul 10
It would apper that my assumptions were wrong, based on the comments on people who were there on Saturday.
Surely, in the interest of unbiased reporting and using investigative journalism, these unsubstantiated claims should be looked into and reported.
It is in the interest of the general public and the reader to get a fair story.
federico, Pinner says...
12:15am Fri 23 Jul 10
The EDL's leader "Tommy Robinson" (real name: Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) is on the leaked list of BNP members, he is also a criminal. He did 12 months for attacking a police officer. Another prominent EDL figure is Jeff Marsh a violent criminal with convictions for stabbings. Then there is Chris Renton - a life long neo-Nazi, and umpteen other football hoolies, Ulster loyalist terrorists etc etc
But of course such a bunch of assorted thugs couldn't possibly be responsible for any violence!
I suppose the tooth-fairy smashed-up the Hindu temple?
flobknob, stourbridge says...
2:24am Fri 23 Jul 10
federico wrote:Federico you are intitled to express an option.... That's what's GREAT about Britian don't you think? Everyone gets a voice and not just your brown friends (aka Tooth=fairy)... I can all understand the reason why there might be a reason for venom and not blood that's running though your veins. Hay with a name like 'Federico Freak' it don't sound very British... You don't no anything, your just as bad as the loud mouthed **** that you have just slated. Maybe you have had issues urself with the young youth of today serving pizza, I don't no, but doesn't everybody nowadays. Get a grip and grow some you clown. Does it matter who the leader is of the EDL? Can you remember the name of that bloke something Larden that wants to blow everything up.. Remind me to forward your name to him for rugsack duty. I would rather have someone that did a simple stabbing (you are making me put words in mouth now) than someone who's job it was to make sure that herion is pumpied all round the west midlands. I can see your well educated and obviouslyit has been here now looking at the stats.
What a bunch of clowns you EDL types are! all fans of Raoul Moat too I bet! The EDL's leader "Tommy Robinson" (real name: Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) is on the leaked list of BNP members, he is also a criminal. He did 12 months for attacking a police officer. Another prominent EDL figure is Jeff Marsh a violent criminal with convictions for stabbings. Then there is Chris Renton - a life long neo-Nazi, and umpteen other football hoolies, Ulster loyalist terrorists etc etc But of course such a bunch of assorted thugs couldn't possibly be responsible for any violence! I suppose the tooth-fairy smashed-up the Hindu temple?
federico, Pinner says...
10:46am Fri 23 Jul 10
"urself", "rugsack", "hay" ... oh dear.
If you EDL types had paid attention in school and mastered the basics of English grammar and spelling, you might have been able to get jobs that didn't involve asking people "Do you want fries with that?".
federico, Pinner says...
11:01am Fri 23 Jul 10
But I suppose he must have mistaken the tooth-fairy for an EDL gang.
May_Flower, Norton says...
1:14pm Fri 23 Jul 10
The EDL are nothing but a nuisance and an embarrassment to the good people of Dudley. Even if you disagree with a culture of people, using violence to damage their property is NOT going to make people more sympathetic to your opinion.
To me, the EDL is the adult equivalent of the playground bully that goes around smashing up other children's toys because they are jealous. I have no respect for them at all.
lucy_18, dudley says...
4:59pm Fri 23 Jul 10
Mr r weale, Colley Gate says...
10:40pm Fri 23 Jul 10
lucy_18, dudley says...
10:55pm Fri 23 Jul 10
Mr r weale, Colley Gate says...
11:02pm Fri 23 Jul 10
federico, Pinner says...
1:58am Sat 24 Jul 10
That isn't a trick. The fact the EDL apologists are semi-literate dimwits is highly pertinent.
What we have here are people who are failures in their own lives looking for scapegoats. The EDL leadership are largely composed of middle-aged criminals and hooligans - men who have simply not grown up and who want the adrenaline rush of violence. The foot soldiers are in their teens or twenties and have gone through school without mastering the basic education that would allow them to have any decent prospects.
lucy_18, dudley says...
1:53pm Sat 24 Jul 10
lucy_18, dudley says...
1:58pm Sat 24 Jul 10
federico, Pinner says...
4:30pm Sat 24 Jul 10
ey could possibly attract yobs is such a mystery.
Mr r weale, Colley Gate says...
5:07pm Sat 24 Jul 10
federico wrote:you have em in you ranks too Federico.
Why an organisation led by such fine upstanding citizens like Steven "GBH" Yaxlex-Lennon, Jeff "Stabber" Marsh, Chris "Nazi boy" Renton and Allan "Stuff 50 of em in a shipping container and don't worry if they all suffocate" Hetherington-Cleverl ey could possibly attract yobs is such a mystery.
ozpat, McLaren Vale says...
1:34am Sun 25 Jul 10
flobknob, stourbridge says...
12:59pm Mon 26 Jul 10
http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=xE7Xng1FE
z0&feature
flobknob, stourbridge says...
1:03pm Mon 26 Jul 10
www.youtube.com/v/RC
mFVoFuwUo
flobknob, stourbridge says...
1:48pm Mon 26 Jul 10
People lying in road after being run over, blood everywhere.
We have eyewitness accounts coming in of Muslims using cars to drive down English protesters in Dudley. One report of an incident where 4 people were driven into, left them seriously injured and one woman dead. We are waiting for confirmation of this incident and an air ambulance has landed to assist the injured.
Just got back. There needs to be an offical complaint made to police. Coaches to Dudley port weren’t allowed to run, and we were made to walk through the Muslim area. One girl attacked by police dog. Others stabbed and lying in blood. Police battened EDL and did nothing about the Muslims. It’s a disgrace. Can also confirm someone got run over. People need to open their eyes, and it seems like we are being singled out. It’s a disgrace!
Casualties from collision in King St taken to hospital after treatment at scene. Witnesses should contact West Midlands Police.
The official story at the moment:
Quote:
Police are investigating a road traffic collision in which at least four people were injured close to the scene of today’s Dudley protest.
The incident happened as EDL protesters began to disperse from the Stafford Street protest area.
Paramedics were called to the scene in King Street following the collision at around 4pm.
The force's specialist Collision Investigation Team is carrying out a reconstruction of the incident.
Chief Supt Tom Coughlan said: “At this stage our priority is the safety of the injured people. A full investigation is already underway.
“The accident happened in an area of town away from the main protest area where there were no traffic controls in place.”
lucy_18, dudley says...
4:48pm Tue 27 Jul 10
flobknob wrote:I actally saw people getting attacked by muslims. There was nothin in the press about this
Update 5:33pm BST, multiple sources: People lying in road after being run over, blood everywhere. We have eyewitness accounts coming in of Muslims using cars to drive down English protesters in Dudley. One report of an incident where 4 people were driven into, left them seriously injured and one woman dead. We are waiting for confirmation of this incident and an air ambulance has landed to assist the injured. Just got back. There needs to be an offical complaint made to police. Coaches to Dudley port weren’t allowed to run, and we were made to walk through the Muslim area. One girl attacked by police dog. Others stabbed and lying in blood. Police battened EDL and did nothing about the Muslims. It’s a disgrace. Can also confirm someone got run over. People need to open their eyes, and it seems like we are being singled out. It’s a disgrace! Casualties from collision in King St taken to hospital after treatment at scene. Witnesses should contact West Midlands Police. The official story at the moment: Quote: Police are investigating a road traffic collision in which at least four people were injured close to the scene of today’s Dudley protest. The incident happened as EDL protesters began to disperse from the Stafford Street protest area. Paramedics were called to the scene in King Street following the collision at around 4pm. The force's specialist Collision Investigation Team is carrying out a reconstruction of the incident. Chief Supt Tom Coughlan said: “At this stage our priority is the safety of the injured people. A full investigation is already underway. “The accident happened in an area of town away from the main protest area where there were no traffic controls in place.”
I think its a disgrace and the police make me sick so do the muslims. Next time edl do go back to dudley it be war between them and the muslims
EDL supporters clash with police at the Stafford Street site
Police in Dudley during Operation Belvedere - which cost £400,000
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The Villan , Stourbridge says...
12:57pm Wed 21 Jul 10