Two arrests at EDL protest in Walsall

Local paper, Express and Star, reports on the arrest of two men on public order offences following a protest involving a group of 20 or so people draped in St George’s flags and ‘believed to be English Defence League members’ in Walsall town centre on Saturday.

The local paper notes the motive for the impromptu gathering as being “to vent anger at the killing of soldier Lee Rigby in Woolwich.”

It follows a much larger demonstration by the English Defence League in Newcastle on Saturday where an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 supporters gathered. The far right movement also demonstrated in central London yesterday, walking along Whitehall before stopping in front of Number 10.

According to a report in the Evening Standard, the EDL shouted slogans such as “Muslim killers off our streets” and brandished placards reading “Blood on your hands” and “GB RIP”.

Addressing the assembled crowd, EDL leader, Stephen Lennon, told his supporters, “They’ve had their Arab Spring. This is time for the English Spring.”