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thomas davison

The moment EDL bus is attacked by dozens of Asian men after it broke down following protest meeting in East London
By Anna Edwards

Last updated at 4:21 PM on 5th September 2011

A coachload of English Defence League supporters were attacked by around 100 Asian youths with missiles when their bus broke down in Tower Hamlets, East London, on its return from a violent rally.
The yellow, red and black bus, carrying around 44 EDL members, was showered with stones as angry teenagers threw traffic cones and bricks, shattering the windows of the bus.
A video on YouTube shows the coach, in Mile End Road, being surrounded with protestors, who scream at the members and throw things at them.
Attack on the EDL: The coach was showered with traffic cones and bricks by counter-protestors

Violence in the streets: Windows were smashed as angry youths shouted at the EDL, whose members had attacked police
The YouTube footage shows a two minute film of a group racing towards the bus and then launching whatever they can find.

Police arrested all 44 EDL supporters, who had been involved in the protest in Aldgate, East London, earlier on Saturday.

Officers escorted the members onto a double-decker bus to evacuate them.
When the double-decker bus began to try and leave the area, youths tried to block its path by sitting in the road, but fled when police charged at them.
More...Sixty arrests as EDL members clash with police including 44 pulled off a coach that had stopped outside a mosque

Police said there had already been an altercation with other local youths after the vehicle stopped at about 6.30pm in Whitechapel Road and some passengers got off the coach.
It was an ugly day for the EDL's 'static demonstration', which saw scuffles break out and its members throwing bottles and firecrackers at riot police, mounted police, and dogs who were trying to maintain control.
Under fire: The coach broke down in Tower Hamlets and police had to escort the supporters onto another bus to evacuate them

Swarm: Around 100 youths flocked to shout at the coachload of EDL members, who were all arrested
By early evening on Saturday 16 people had been taken into custody for a variety of offences including affray, drunk and disorderly and assault on a police officer.
Skirmishes broke out during the afternoon as EDL leader Stephen 'Tommy' Lennon addressed a crowd, boasting he had broken his bail conditions to be at the protest. He was not one of those arrested.

The group had told Scotland Yard it planned to lead a 'static demonstration' in the wake of a 30-day ban by Home Secretary Theresa May on marching in six areas.

There had been fears of potential unrest ahead of the protest, centred on the deprived inner city borough of Tower Hamlets.

Mrs May also banned marches in Newham, Waltham Forest, Islington, Hackney and the City of London.

More than 3,000 officers were made available amid fears of violence and clashes with opposition groups including Unite Against Fascism.

A bus carrying 44 EDL members stopped outside a mosque and 44 people on board were arrested
At one point on Saturday a Scotland Yard spokesman said two groups had gathered in east London - one of around 1,000 people, believed to be EDL members, at Aldgate Tube, and a separate group of around 1,500 counter-protesters in Whitechapel Road at its junction with Aldgate East.

EDL protesters were dispersed after mounted police and riot police led them across Tower Bridge.
Several were seen receiving medical attention from officers.

Later police moved EDL supporters travelling on a coach out of Tower Hamlets after the vehicle broke down outside Stepney Green Underground station.

Police said all the passengers on the coach were arrested after two altercations.

At about 6.30pm the coach containing demonstrators stopped in Whitechapel Road and there was an altercation with local youths after some passengers got off.
Police vans from forces including Cumbria, Lancashire and Grampian could be seen on the streets.
Campaigners have been in ongoing negotiations with police chiefs in the wake of tough measures introduced by Mrs May.

It is the first time since the Brixton riots 30 years ago that police have requested powers to stop marches in London.

No surrender: A masked protestor (left) and the controversial placards held up during the EDL demonstartion in Aldgate, east London (right)

Scuffles broke out as Lennon addressed the chanting crowd, many of whom were waving banners and flags.

He said: 'I'm meant to sign on at a police station on a Saturday, I'm not doing that. I'm not allowed to go to a demonstration, I'm not doing that.

'The credible outcome is I will be put on remand in prison for my democratic right. That's what's going to happen and when I go to court if they let me out of court with any bail conditions that restrict my democratic right to oppose militant Islam, I will break them the minute I walk out.'

EDL founder Lennon was convicted in July of leading a street brawl with 100 football fans in August last year.

The 28-year-old, from Luton, Bedfordshire, was found guilty of using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour and leading Luton's hooligans into a fight after a trial at Luton and South Bedfordshire Magistrates' Court.

The father of three was sentenced to a 12-month community rehabilitation order, 150 hours of unpaid work and hit with a three-year football banning order. He was also ordered to pay �650 in costs.

Police swiftly got to the trouble spots and pulled troublemakers out as EDL members pushed and shoved

During the demonstration firecrackers were thrown by EDL members while police deployed mounted officers and dogs
The trouble comes after frightening pictures were posted on an anti-fascism website which appear to show English Defence League supporters posing with an array of deadly weapons.
On the day that the EDL ignored police and Home Office advice and staged a protest in London, the pictures appear on an anti-fascist website.
In one, a shaven-headed man wears a mask bearing the flag of St George as he brandishes a powerful looking rifle with a scope mounted to the top.
In a second the twin barrels of a shotgun are pointed at the camera lens by a grimacing figure with a cigarette hanging from his lips.
And a third shows three men wearing English Defence League hooded tops, posing like paramilitary fighters, as they point guns into the air in front of a backdrop of the Union Flag and the Cross of St George.
The images come just a month after Anders Breivik slaughtered scores of youngsters during a rampage in Norway.
Soon after his killing spree police were probing Breivik�s links with the far right party amid claims that he had visited the UK and marched with supporters.
Although the EDL denied the links, anti-fascist group Searchlight claimed to have proof that Breivik was in contact with the group.

The RMT transport union attacked the EDL for claiming a strike on the Tube's Central Line has led to the cancellation of the EDL's operational arrangements in London tomorrow.
A spokesman for the union said: �At no time has RMT talked about a strike - this is a clear cut safety issue for our members who have already had experience in the past of EDL mobilisations. It is our union's duty, and we believe the employers, to protect our members' safety at all times.�
Section 13 of the Public Order Act would allow a ban of up to three months - but the force does not believe it necessary.
Ms Pendry said: �We have not sought this power since 1981 - which shows how we do not take this lightly.
�We have been in talks with representatives of groups before and since the disorder has taken place and we continue to talk to them today.
�As far as Saturday is concerned, both parties have requested a static demonstration and we will be negotiating with them suitable locations with the aim of minimising disorder.�

I support the what the EDL is trying to do but I wonder when stoning a bus became a legitimate and lawful protest? What would happen if a group of right wing thugs threw stones at a bus carrying Muslim activists to a protest about the British army in Afghanistan? yes they would be arrested so why not these Asian thugs?

THE LAW IN THIS COUNTRY IS ALL ONE SIDED AND THE QUICKER PEOPLE TAKE TO THE STREETS TO PROTEST THE BETTER.