Home UK Tiny EDL protest is swamped by police during far-right march in Manchester

Tiny EDL protest is swamped by police during far-right march in Manchester

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This English Defence League protest looked a little on the small side as it made its way through Manchester with a heavy police escort.

Little over a dozen protesters were kept under lock and key by more than 50 officers in a photo taken from a building overlooking the march in Piccadilly Gardens.

The far-right demo was outnumbered by an estimated 300 anti-fascist protesters in a counter-demonstration organised by the group Stand Up To Racism.

The EDL march in Manchester was a little on the small side (Picture: @SamWhyte)

? Licensed to London News Pictures . 20/10/2018 . Manchester , UK . Approximately 50 EDL supporters in Piccadilly Gardens . Street protest movement , the English Defence League ( EDL ) , hold a demonstration , opposed by anti-fascists , including Unite Against Fascism ( UAF ) , in Manchester City Centre . Amongst the reasons for their protest , the EDL cite news reports that revealed an imam at the Didsbury Mosque where Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi prayed , praised armed jihad in a sermon delivered just days before Abedi bought a ticket for the Ariana Grande concert at which he killed twenty two people . Photo credit : Joel Goodman/LNP

One heavily-tattooed EDL protester was seen giving the Nazi salute (Picture: Joel Goodman/LNP)

Photos of the march were mercilessly mocked online.

Sam Whyte tweeted: There are literally more people in the Polyphonic Spree than rocked up today for the EDL march in Manchester.

If you dont know, the Polyphonic Spree is a 22-piece rock band from Texas.

Another joked: Im mad the police didnt take the chance to herd them in penis formation. They were so close!

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David Jones added: The bizzies are gonna be worried about how theyll justify all that overtime.

? Licensed to London News Pictures . 20/10/2018 . Manchester , UK . Hundreds of police contain approximately 50 EDL supporters in Piccadilly Railway Station . Street protest movement , the English Defence League ( EDL ) , hold a demonstration , opposed by anti-fascists , including Unite Against Fascism ( UAF ) , in Manchester City Centre . Amongst the reasons for their protest , the EDL cite news reports that revealed an imam at the Didsbury Mosque where Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi prayed , praised armed jihad in a sermon delivered just days before Abedi bought a ticket for the Ariana Grande concert at which he killed twenty two people . Photo credit : Joel Goodman/LNP

Some other EDL protesters are met by a wall of police at Manchester Piccadilly station (Picture: Joel Goodman/LNP)

? Licensed to London News Pictures . 20/10/2018 . Manchester , UK . Hundreds of police contain approximately 50 EDL supporters in Piccadilly Gardens . Street protest movement , the English Defence League ( EDL ) , hold a demonstration , opposed by anti-fascists , including Unite Against Fascism ( UAF ) , in Manchester City Centre . Amongst the reasons for their protest , the EDL cite news reports that revealed an imam at the Didsbury Mosque where Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi prayed , praised armed jihad in a sermon delivered just days before Abedi bought a ticket for the Ariana Grande concert at which he killed twenty two people . Photo credit : Joel Goodman/LNP

A larger group of EDL protesters is corralled by police as it marches through Manchester (Picture: Joel Goodman/LNP)

Greater Manchester Police drafted in officers from Merseyside, North Wales and Cheshire to keep the demo under control.

But both protests passed with little disruption, with only two protesters arrested.

The cost of the huge operation could reach six-figures, with an EDL demo in 2015 costing about £250,000 to police in the same city.

Chief Superintendent Wasim Chaudhry, who oversaw the policing of events this weekend, said: Today an EDL protest and counter protest took place in Piccadilly Gardens in the city centre.

? Licensed to London News Pictures . 20/10/2018 . Manchester , UK . An EDL supporter wearing a t-shirt in support of Tommy Robinson (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon ) in Piccadilly Gardens . Street protest movement , the English Defence League ( EDL ) , hold a demonstration , opposed by anti-fascists , including Unite Against Fascism ( UAF ) , in Manchester City Centre . Amongst the reasons for their protest , the EDL cite news reports that revealed an imam at the Didsbury Mosque where Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi prayed , praised armed jihad in a sermon delivered just days before Abedi bought a ticket for the Ariana Grande concert at which he killed twenty two people . Photo credit : Joel Goodman/LNP

A Tommy Robinson supporter poses for a photo (Picture: Joel Goodman/LNP)

? Licensed to London News Pictures . 20/10/2018 . Manchester , UK . Mounted police separate members of the public , counter protesters and EDL supporters as police contain approximately 50 EDL supporters in Piccadilly Gardens . Street protest movement , the English Defence League ( EDL ) , hold a demonstration , opposed by anti-fascists , including Unite Against Fascism ( UAF ) , in Manchester City Centre . Amongst the reasons for their protest , the EDL cite news reports that revealed an imam at the Didsbury Mosque where Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi prayed , praised armed jihad in a sermon delivered just days before Abedi bought a ticket for the Ariana Grande concert at which he killed twenty two people . Photo credit : Joel Goodman/LNP

The far-right demo was outnumbered by an estimated 300 anti-fascist protesters (Picture: Joel Goodman/LNP)

In the lead up to this event, we worked closely with the organisers and our partners at Transport for Greater Manchester, Manchester City Council and British Transport Police to reduce impact on the public and minimise the risk of disorder.

I am happy to say that the overwhelming majority of people who exercised their democratic right to protest have done so peacefully and the demonstration has passed with little disruption.

There have been two arrests, which is not uncommon for an event of this size.

There is still a major police operation in place to ensure the rest of the day continues in the same manner, and all of the other events happening in the city run smoothly.

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