Inquiry after police filmed hitting anti-fascist protester

Footage shows officer allegedly beating Alan Clough before his arrest at protest against English Defence League in Bolton

An investigation is under way after a police officer was filmed hitting an anti-fascist demonstrator in the face during a far-right rally. Alan Clough, 63, from Radcliffe, Bury, was protesting against the English Defence League (EDL) rally in Bolton in March when he was struck, fell to the ground and was subsequently arrested.

He had been due to stand trial at Bolton magistrates' court on Wednesday accused of a charge of threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour. But the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case 24 hours before it was due to go ahead after viewing footage from the rally, filmed by Granada TV.

It shows police in high visibility jackets pushing back crowds of protesters before a skirmish breaks out, with riot police and mounted officers involved. Batons are drawn and Clough is punched by an officer in riot gear who is lashing out at demonstrators. He is then dragged away and arrested.

The campaigning group justice4bolton claims police used heavy-handed tactics on the day. They say the footage shows Clough being pushed by police officers and struck on the head with a baton before he was pushed backwards to the ground and arrested. Justice4bolton said it has received an overwhelming number of reports claiming violent behaviour on the part of police at the rally.

The CPS said: "Having viewed footage received from the defence team, we felt there was no longer a realistic prospect of securing a conviction. Given this, the correct decision was made to drop the charge against Mr Clough."

A Greater Manchester police spokeswoman said: "GMP has received a complaint in relation to footage which appears to show a man being inappropriately struck during his arrest at the EDL protest in Bolton. The footage is now being viewed by officers from Greater Manchester police's professional standards branch. An internal investigation is now under way, as a result it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage."

Protesters gathered outside the magistrates' court on Wednesday to display footage of the incident.

Clough attended the demonstration against the EDL in Bolton in March with four men and three women, aged between 58 and 70. As police officers moved in on the demonstration, it is claimed some became aggressive. Clough was forced to lie face down on the floor and his hands were handcuffed behind his back.

A spokesperson for justice4bolton said: "The latest footage must be seen against the background of an overwhelming number of reports already received by justice4bolton describing violent and oppressive behaviour on the part of police on 20 March. The emerging body of reports already received raises serious questions, not only about the acts of individual officers, but about the broader approach taken by the police towards those seeking to stand up against racism and fascism."

Alan Clough said he was relieved with the outcome of the court case, but had mixed feelings as he "would have liked to prove my innocence in court". He described the wait for the court case as "seven long months" and expressed relief that it was now over, adding: "But I was never really worried about going to court because I knew I'd done nothing wrong and was hopeful in the end that justice would have been done."

Around 2,000 members of the EDL gathered alongside 1,500 members of Unite Against Fascism at Victoria Square in Bolton town centre. There were more than 60 arrests and several injuries reported. The EDL claims it protests against militant Islam and sharia law but the UAF says it promotes racism and fascism.

The matter could be referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission following the force's own investigation.

Guardian

Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up

EDL police ‘heavy handed’, says MP

Bolton's newest MP has accused Greater Manchester Police of heavy-handed tactics during March’s English Defence League and Unite Against Fascism rallies.

Now Yasmin Qureshi, who was elected as Bolton South East MP last month, is calling on GMP to drop charges against anti-fascist activists arrested on the day. But GMP says its offers were the subject of “hostility and aggression” from protesters. Ms Qureshi was on the UAF front line at the protest against the EDL’s rally in Victoria Square on March 20 and is leading the new national campaign calling on police not to prosecute left-wing protesters.

The newly formed Justice4Bolton campaign is arguing the use of conspiracy laws, rather than charges relating to specific incidents which would require greater evidence, “indicates a move towards de-legitimatising protests against the rise of fascism in the UK”.

Ms Qureshi said: “I did not see or hear any activity amongst the protesters that I would have described as violent disorder, though there were some police officers who, in my view, were being heavy-handed in some cases. I supported the aims of the protest against the English Defence League in Bolton and I was there.”

Justice4Bolton has already won the support of trade unions, anti-fascist organisations and influential MPs including former Northern Ireland and Wales Secretary Peter Hain. Thousands of UAF and EDL demonstrators held counter-demonstrations in Victoria Square on March 20. Police made more than 70 arrests, with more than 50 of those UAF supporters. Among those arrested on the day were Weyman Bennett, joint secretary of Unite Against Fascism, and Rhetta Moran, joint secretary of Greater Manchester UAF.

Mr Hain said: “The UAF has worked very hard to get rid of the British National Party and the fascist threat and should be congratulated, not prosecuted.”

But police deny they were heavy-handed. Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan, said: “Everyone has a democratic right to protest. We respect that right and spent weeks consulting people locally and nationally and meticulously planning this event to ensure a demonstration could go ahead safely. Were it not for their professionalism and bravery, many others would have been seriously injured. As an investigation into the disorder is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”

Bolton News

Lancashire NUT condemns Bolton police tactics

Below is an emergency motion submitted to and passed unanimously by Lancashire NUT. We would encourage other trades unionists to submit a similar motion to their own unions and hope that this inspires them to do so. The motion is addressed to the Greater Manchester Police Authority (and possibly the Independent Police Complaints Commission).

Complaints from individuals about the behaviour of the police during the protest in Bolton should be made via the complaints links here.

The Lancashire Division of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) notes with great concern the behaviour and actions of the police officers who were on duty, presumably under the control of the Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable, Peter Fahy and the Bolton Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Steve Hartley, on Saturday 20th March at the Unite Against Fascism protest against the English Defence League in Bolton town centre. Several of our members were present to defend the freedom of all the different communities in Bolton to co-exist without threat of violence and witnessed the events that occurred during the day.

Any impartial assessment of the manner in which the officers were deployed would clearly show that the GMP was not “committed to increasing the public’s confidence that we are dealing with the issues that matter to them” and nor to ”being open and accountable about our performance” but planned instead to make it easier for the self- proclaimed racist EDL to behave in ways that in any other context would have been judged as illegal, as its members have been repeatedly violent towards ethnic minorities and came to Bolton intending to provoke further violence. The evidence for this was clearly available on several EDL-linked websites in advance - and even more so since. The EDL were repeatedly threatening violence and were actually violent – there was a lot of racist chanting and a considerable number of missiles were thrown across the square but at no time was this seen to be addressed by any officers. The GMP then distorted reports of the events that day to protect both themselves and the EDL and to criticise only those opposing the EDL.

At the same time, the police tactics used against those opposing fascism and racism were clearly not aimed at building “more cohesive, empowered and active communities” nor, in any acceptable sense ensuring that they were making “communities safer”, both key elements of the ‘National Community Safety Plan’.

We assert this because of the use of inflammatory tactics such as:

• The use of riot police against UAF supporters when there was no violence being shown
• The corralling of sections of the crowd and denying others access to the protest (when it is unclear what legal right the Police have to effectively detain those who have committed no offence)
• The use of video surveillance, to send in targeted riot police to grab and hustle off anyone who attempted to speak out against the EDL.
• The repeated and totally false implication by police representatives that the higher number of arrests of UAF supporters should be seen as indicative of the level of violence shown by them. It indicates only the higher level of targeting of the UAF groups by the police.
• We further assert that many citizens of Bolton also simply wished to speak out against the EDL. They were prevented from doing so by being stopped from joining others in Victoria Square. Defending yourself through speech is not a criminal or civil offence in our democracy.

All these made the manner in which the demonstration was managed by the Chief Constable and his team totally unacceptable.

We urgently call on the executive Director and all the other 18 members of the Greater Manchester Police Authority to investigate the way that the GMP behaved in Bolton and we call on it to acknowledge the repeated tactical failings of its senior officers, which could too readily have lead to tragic consequences on several occasions. Lessons could readily be learned from the much more measured and effective work of the police forces recently in Blackpool and Preston.

Conservative stopped for looking like British National Party leader

A Conservative councillor was almost barred from his own party's conference for looking like the leader of the British National Party.

When police were put on alert that Nick Griffin might gatecrash the inner sanctum of the conference in Manchester, they pulled aside Cotswold and county councillor Lynden Stowe to make sure he wasn't Mr Griffin. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) checked out Councillor Stowe's credentials after they received a tip-off Mr Griffin might try and get in to an area for accredited visitors only.

"Someone thought I might have been Nick Griffin," said Councillor Stowe, who is the leader of Cotswold District Council (Campden Vale) and represents the North Cotswold division on Gloucestershire County Council. He is most definitely a true blue Conservative but it seemed not all at the conference were familiar with the Mickleton resident.

"Police had a look at me and my badge, and that was it," he told The Citizen. "I think it got spun out a bit, the story. You get photo ID and they had a look at it. Some police lady came up and said "Can you come around the back?" and she checked my ID. They said it was fine - they did not even mention it (a suspicion he was Nick Griffin). There was nothing I could do about it."

He said he has been mistaken for the far right party's leader before.

"I try to cut my hair a bit shorter these days," he said. "Nobody ever said at the time but I do get the odd comparison. It's only facially - he is quite a bit porkier than I am."

A GMP spokesman said: "During the conference we had some sort of information passed through to us that someone had spotted the said person. It turned out not to be him. Clearly that would have been an issue. He (Nick Griffin) was not on the accredited list. When it was confirmed it was not him, he went about his business. It was something we looked at because someone believed he may be in the building."

John Walker, BNP press officer, said Mr Griffin had no plans to visit the conference, held in October last year.

"It just goes to show how recognisable Nick Griffin is nowadays," said Mr Walker. "He is a recognisable face - quite a famous person who people recognise. Perhaps there is a line in Nick Griffin doubles."

This is Gloucestershire

Manchester demonstration updates

Mobile phone footage of EDL 'march'

There are no nazis involved with the EDL, oh no. See comments for details...

Manchester protest Twitter updates
"A wooden plank spins up from the EDL and towards the police line. Narrowly misses."
"Some EDL "sieg heil", others wave Israeli flags. <- Illogical alliances" "On the corner of Miller St by Victoria Station, a teenage bystander was just hit by a coin apparently thrown from the EDL crowd"

Live from MEN - Demo in Manchester
"An EDL supporter just hurled a lucozade bottle into the crowd of UAF supporters."

Text from the troops
"We seem to have the EDL boxed in..."

BBC - Protesters in city demonstrations

At least 2,000 of people are protesting in two political demonstrations in Manchester city centre.

The English Defence League (EDL) has arrived in the city to stage a protest in Piccadilly Gardens to campaign against Islamic extremists. This has prompted a planned counter-protest by Unite Against Fascism (UAF).

Police said 18 people had been arrested in Manchester on suspicion of public order offences. One arrest was on suspicion of carrying a weapon.

Both sides are facing each other in Piccadilly Gardens and are separated by a line of police officers, dogs and mounted police. Matt Trewern, from BBC Radio Manchester, said the atmosphere was "quite tense" and there had been a series of confrontations between opposing protesters.

He said: "The police are trying to keep the two groups separate and they have managed to confine some of the EDL protesters to the narrow streets in the Northern Quarter. Trouble started when 100 members of EDL arrived at Piccadilly Gardens and they were immediately met with shouts of 'racists' and 'off our streets' by members of the UAF, who had already congregated at Piccadilly. The atmosphere is tense, but it is not yet out of control."

He said the number of protesters from the UAF outnumber those from the EDL by about three to one.

Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan said: "The presence of so many protesters in the city has proved a challenge and while many have turned out to protest peacefully the police reaction has been necessary in order to prevent the few hell-bent on violent confrontation. Today we've made 18 arrests, many of whom were thought to be agitators and trouble-makers."

Greater Manchester Police confirmed one man, believed to be heading to the protest, had been arrested in Birmingham on suspicion of distributing racially aggravated material.

Muslim leaders have renewed appeals for people to avoid the demonstrations. A recent EDL event in Birmingham led to counter-demonstrations and bricks being hurled at riot police. Up to 90 people were arrested.

Nanu Miah, a community leader from Oldham, said: "We are not encouraging people to go, we don't know who EDL is and what could happen."

BBC

HnH - EDL leader arrested

I've just heard that one of the leaders of the English Defence League was arrested this morning in Birmingham on suspicion of distributing racially aggravated material.

Meanwhile EDL supporters are beginning to descend on Manchester. I understand that football hooligans from 20-25 gangs are making the trip, mainly from across the North West and West Midlands. A few are coming down from the North East and up from the South Coast.

Hope not hate

Police Warning Over Far-Right Street Demo

Senior police officers are warning they will not tolerate any violence as a far-right group prepares to rally in Manchester

The English Defence League, which campaigns against radical Islam, is staging the latest in a series of protests in the city on Saturday. On the same day, and in the same city square, Unite Against Facism will lead a counter-demonstration. Greater Manchester Police believe at least 500 people will gather in Piccadilly Gardens, close to the city centre.

Chief Superintendent Gerry Donnellan said: "While we respect people's right to protest peacefully, the safety of the community is paramount and anyone who behaves in a way which might create disorder or disrupt people going lawfully about their business will be dealt with. Anyone who would want to exploit this demonstration by behaving in a criminal, racist or anti-social way will be dealt with appropriately."

The EDL denies accusations made by anti-facist groups that it is affiliated to the BNP or National Front.

Previous demonstrations involving the EDL and UAF have descended into violence. The most recent in Birmingham was billed as a peaceful protest - but it quickly turned nasty and both sides blamed each other for the fighting. After the disturbances West Midlands Police questioned whether an organised peaceful protest was really the objective of those attending.

Greater Manchester Police say they have monitored previous demonstrations and have been talking to organisers from both sides for some weeks to ensure Saturday's protests pass off as peacefully as possible.

Sky News

Cop resigns over BNP badge

A policeman has been forced to resign after wearing a British National Party badge at an England football match.

Stuart Janaway, 36, wore the badge while off duty at a game against Hungary at Old Trafford two years ago. He had also worn it at a charity England versus `the rest of the world' celebrity match held a few days earlier at the same ground.

An investigation began after Greater Manchester Police received information that Mr Janaway had items relating to the extreme right-wing party at his home. Badges were recovered after a search of his house and photographs showed him wearing them at the matches. A misconduct hearing into claims that Mr Janaway was wearing an `inappropriate' badge while off duty was held last week. Following the hearing he was asked to resign and did so.

Mr Janaway, of Rixtonleys Drive, Irlam, had served in GMP for 14 years and worked as a Pc based at Longsight. He joined the police after first training to be a priest. A police spokesman said there was no evidence that he was a member of the BNP.

Acting Assistant Chief Constable Terry Sweeney, head of the Professional Standards Branch, said: "The Chief Constable's Order of 2004 makes it clear officers are banned from being members of the BNP. This requirement extends into the private lives of officers.

"All officers and staff are aware that non-compliance will likely result in dismissal. The officer failed to live up to the high standards we demand."

One source said: "The swiftness with which this matter was dealt with indicates that GMP will not tolerate such breach of police regulations."

In 1998 Mr Janaway hit the headlines when he helped treat a shooting victim. He also saved a number people intent on committing suicide.

Manchester Evening News

Police officer faces BNP probe

A police officer is facing a disciplinary hearing for allegedly supporting the British National Party. It is claimed he wore a badge linked to the far-right group while supporting a football team.

An investigation was started after Greater Manchester Police received information that the officer had items relating to the BNP at his home. They were supplied with photographs allegedly of the officer wearing the badge at matches. A preliminary hearing was held into the case and he will now face a full hearing - for wearing an 'inappropriate' badge.

GMP has declined to comment further until the investigation is concluded. A police spokesman declined to say what was on the badge but stressed there was 'no evidence' that the officer was a member of the BNP.

One source said: "The case raises possible issues linked to the force's commitment to racial diversity and would therefore go straight to a misconduct hearing."

Policy

Charles Crichlow, chairman of the GMP Black and Asian Police Association, said: "Having paraphernalia relating to any political party would be problematic for a police officer. The Association of Chief Police Officers has a policy on the BNP, which bans membership of that party, and that is the force view. Speaking hypothetically, if someone was found to have been wearing something associated with the BNP it would be a problem, and it is right that the force should look at that."

In a separate case, a GMP officer based at Manchester Airport was investigated after he filled in a form declaring that he bought a BNP magazine. The officer was moved from the airport, where he worked in an immigration unit, to police headquarters in Stretford, while a probe was carried out.

Investigating officers were satisfied that he was not a member of the BNP, or racist, and he was 'advised' about buying the magazine. It was accepted that he had purchased it for 'research purposes'.

St George's Day

Last year, a top level probe established that police officers were not involved with BNP members at an event to mark St George's Day in Manchester centre.

An inquiry was launched after an officer called to a disturbance in Exchange Square involving racist chanting said he thought off-duty police officers and staff had been involved with those causing trouble, some of whom were wearing BNP badges. An investigation trawled through hours of CCTV footage and interviewed 50 people present on the day.

It said one off-duty officer and one off-duty member of staff were innocently celebrating St George's Day. At no point did they have any dealings with a racist element in the crowd.

GMP was one of the forces whose trainees were caught making racist remarks by an undercover television programme. After the revelations in the BBC documentary Secret Policeman, the force pledged to eradicate racism in its ranks.

Manchester Evening News

GMP cleared of BNP association

Claims that a Greater Manchester police (GMP) officer and another member of staff wore British National party (BNP) badges have been rejected by the police watchdog.

Media reports earlier this year said that the two people had been spotted wearing the badges and associating with BNP supporters at a bar in central Manchester on St George's Day. The Guardian, citing a GMP officer who brought his concerns to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), said that the GMP officer and member of staff had joined in racist chanting and the abuse of other people at the bar on April 23rd 2007.

But following an investigation the IPCC said the two individuals had been "innocently celebrating" St George's Day at Sinclair's Oyster Bar.

Police had been called to attend an incident at the bar to investigate reports of unruly customers.

"It is clear from the interviews and CCTV footage that there was an unsavoury element in the crowd, and this element exhibited racist behaviour by abusing passers-by and singing inflammatory songs," an IPCC statement said.

Naseem Malik, IPCC commissioner for the north-west, added: "Investigators have trawled through hours of CCTV footage and interviewed more than 50 people present on that day.

"As a result of this I can say with some degree of certainty that there is no evidence to support the legitimate concerns expressed in the report made by the officer or the allegation made in the Guardian newspaper. In fact there is sufficient evidence to reach the conclusion that the concerns and allegations were incorrect."

He added: "There is no evidence that off-duty officers or staff were involved with the group of people who prompted police attendance. The investigation identified two friends – one an off-duty police officer and one an off-duty police staff member - who were innocently enjoying a drink together in the pubs and bars around Exchange Square. At no point did they have any association with the unsavoury element in the crowd."

View London

Greater Manchester police investigates claim it has BNP members in ranks

· Off-duty colleagues said to have been at pub event
· Force seizes CCTV footage of St George's Day incident

One of Britain's biggest police forces is investigating allegations that it has British National party members among its frontline officers, the Guardian has learned. Greater Manchester police launched the investigation after complaints from its own officers, who say they saw colleagues at a BNP event to mark St George's Day.

The supporters of the extreme right-wing party had gathered outside a pub in Manchester city centre and police were called after complaints that they had turned rowdy.

The allegations are especially embarrassing for Greater Manchester Police, (GMP) which was one of the forces whose trainee officers were caught making racist remarks by an undercover television programme. After the revelations in the BBC Secret Policeman documentary the force vowed to stamp out racism in the ranks.

The force says it has seized CCTV footage and its detectives will scour it frame by frame for evidence. The force vowed that any officer found to be a BNP member could be sacked. But the BNP claimed it has members among the force's ranks.

The incident happened at 4.30pm on April 23. Around 120 BNP supporters were reported to be milling around Sinclair's Oyster Bar, and were reported to be chanting abuse at passers by. Some were wearing T-shirts saying "Love Britain or Fuck off" and shouting BNP slogans. One officer present claims he saw a fellow officer wearing a BNP badge. Bar managers feared trouble and called police to help them clear away the BNP supporters.

The report that sparked the investigation came from an inspector sent to the scene to help quell the disturbance.

Police sources say the inspector does not claim he saw officers whom he recognised as part of the BNP group. His report relays allegations from other officers that they recognised some of the crowd as off duty policemen.

Senior GMP officers are sceptical of the claims of BNP members in their ranks. The force's initial reaction to the undercover footage obtained by the BBC of their trainee officers being racist, was to arrest the undercover reporter who obtained it.

Police officers are not allowed to be members of the BNP, which is widely seen as being racist and which has members with convictions for violence. The policy was passed by police chiefs three years ago. They say membership of the party is incompatible with officers' duties under race equality laws.

Ali Dizaei of the National Black Police Association, who is a chief superintendent in the Metropolitan police, called for an independent investigation: "It beggars belief that in today's police service we appear to have serving police officers who are members of the BNP."

He added: "These allegations must be investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Police should now carry out an investigation of all police forces to find the extent of the problem which, if not addressed, will have significant impact on legitimacy of policing in the UK."

Chief Superintendent Terry Sweeney, head of the GMP's professional standards branch, said: "There is absolutely no evidence at this time to suggest that any GMP employees took part in the disturbance. GMP's professional standards branch received a report on May 2 from an officer who was present on April 23 and was concerned there may have been off-duty police employees in the vicinity.

"The officer did not see any GMP employees involved in the disturbance himself, but has rightly brought to our attention the information he received from other people. We will investigate this thoroughly to establish if any off-duty officers or staff were involved. If it emerges that any staff were part of the disturbance, we will take the strongest possible action. As part of the investigation, we have taken CCTV from the city centre and will be looking at it frame by frame.

"The chief constable has made it clear that BNP members are not welcome in the GMP. No police officer or member of police staff may be in the BNP and anyone found to be a member is likely to be dismissed."

Asked if there were serving police officers who were also BNP members, Phil Edwards, a spokesman for the extremist organisation, said: "I believe there are."

Guardian