London police arrest over 160 EDL marchers during Saturday clashes

Over 160 people have been arrested in east London in clashes between the far-right fascist English Defence League (EDL), and several anti-racist activist groups.

The EDL leader, Tommy Robinson remains in police custody for charges of “incitement” since the EDL staged a march in London on Saturday, according to a message posted on EDL’s Twitter page.

Fourteen of those arrested were reportedly charged with violent disorder and possession of knives and fireworks, a police spokesman said.

Police also made around 150 arrests of protesters against the far-right group as they attempted to cross the police line at Tower Bridge.

Around 3,000 officers separated the two sides including at Tower Hamlets, one of Britain’s largest Muslim community areas, and Tower Bridge.

Metropolitan police had barred EDL access to Tower Hamlets upon request of the London borough’s mayor, Lutfur Rahman.

The leader of the campaigners against racism on the day was Weyman Bennett, joint national secretary of Unite Against Fascism.

His group was joined by the Socialist Workers’ Party and United East End, which Bennett said amounted to 7,000 people altogether against the EDL.

“They [EDL] didn’t come up with enough numbers and they really depended on the police to be able to escort them in an area where they were not really wanted. It really was like outsiders trying to cause trouble,” Bennett said.