ianstone
10-09-2010, 02:48 PM
EDL Protesters Attack Sky News Truck
October 09, 2010
English Defence League protesters attacked a Sky News satellite truck as violence broke out at a city centre demonstration.
Four members of the Sky News team were forced to lock themselves inside the vehicle as demostrators in Leicester banged their fists on the windscreen.
"It was very, very frightening," said reporter Robin Powell, who was in the truck.
The English Defence League (http://indepth.news.sky.com/InDepth/topic/EDL)(EDL) and Unite Against Fascism (UAF) were holding protests in Leicester, prompting the city's largest policing operation in 25 years.
A smoke bomb and missiles were thrown from the EDL protesters into police and crowds of press.
There were also clashes between EDL supporters and members of the local black and Asian community away from the city centre.
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2010/Oct/Week2/15755104.jpg EDL protesters have clashed with police at previous demos
Police said that in all 1,000 EDL protesters and 700 supporters of the UAF had turned up to the event.
Home Secretary Theresa May had authorised a blanket ban on marches in Leicester, but the groups were allowed to hold static demonstrations in Humberstone Gate East in the city.
Powell said around 200 EDL protesters broke through a police cordon at the end of the demonstration and attacked the Sky News truck and a police car.
"Protesters started to charge against the cordon and it was clear the police were not going to be able to hold them back," Powell said.
"Around 200 youths were running amok in the centre of Leicester, smashing a police car."
He added: "For 15 minutes it is no exaggeration to say police had lost control of the situation."
October 09, 2010
English Defence League protesters attacked a Sky News satellite truck as violence broke out at a city centre demonstration.
Four members of the Sky News team were forced to lock themselves inside the vehicle as demostrators in Leicester banged their fists on the windscreen.
"It was very, very frightening," said reporter Robin Powell, who was in the truck.
The English Defence League (http://indepth.news.sky.com/InDepth/topic/EDL)(EDL) and Unite Against Fascism (UAF) were holding protests in Leicester, prompting the city's largest policing operation in 25 years.
A smoke bomb and missiles were thrown from the EDL protesters into police and crowds of press.
There were also clashes between EDL supporters and members of the local black and Asian community away from the city centre.
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2010/Oct/Week2/15755104.jpg EDL protesters have clashed with police at previous demos
Police said that in all 1,000 EDL protesters and 700 supporters of the UAF had turned up to the event.
Home Secretary Theresa May had authorised a blanket ban on marches in Leicester, but the groups were allowed to hold static demonstrations in Humberstone Gate East in the city.
Powell said around 200 EDL protesters broke through a police cordon at the end of the demonstration and attacked the Sky News truck and a police car.
"Protesters started to charge against the cordon and it was clear the police were not going to be able to hold them back," Powell said.
"Around 200 youths were running amok in the centre of Leicester, smashing a police car."
He added: "For 15 minutes it is no exaggeration to say police had lost control of the situation."