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Police move to control protests Violence erupts at city protest
(about 1 hour later)
Hundreds of rival protesters have clashed on the streets of Nottingham city centre. Violent clashes erupted between police and members of the English Defence League during a city centre protest.
About 300 Unite Against Fascism members staged a protest in the market square, as a similar number of English Defence League supporters also held a rally. Some 500 demonstrators from the EDL marched through Nottingham shouting: "We want our country back."
Outside Nottingham Castle there was pushing and shoving as police tried to keep order after an earlier verbal exchange between the groups. Earlier the EDL supporters had clashed with members of Unite Against Fascism, who held a counter protest in the city.
The clashes came after troops returning from Afghanistan paraded in the city. Police mounted on horses were forced to hold back some of the demonstrators with batons while some used dogs to try to contain the outbreaks of violence.
Earlier thousands of Christmas shoppers gathered to watch the 500 troops from the Mercian Regiment march. Many of the EDL demonstrators had their faces covered with hooded tops and scarves and shouted anti-Islamic slogans.
The homecoming parade followed a six-month tour of duty in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan where the regiment lost five soldiers and dozens of its men were injured. 'No surrender'
Flag flying Other protesters had Union Jacks and St George's flags which they either waved or wrapped around their shoulders as a police officer barked instructions at the crowd from a helicopter circling overhead.
Some of the group waved placards which read: "Protect Women, No To Sharia" and "No Surrender".
The EDL insists it is not a racist organisation and has no links to the BNP and is simply standing against the threat of Islamic extremism.
If we don't have a protest then it's letting them come into town and say 'this is our place for the day', which it isn't Michael VickeryUnite Against Fascism
A spokesman said they had planned the demo for Saturday as the Second Battalion the Mercian Regiment were holding a homecoming parade in Nottingham following a recent tour of Afghanistan.
Earlier the EDL and UAF exchanged hostile words in the city's Old Market Square.
Four people had been arrested for minor public order offences, police said.
As the Mercian Regiment paraded through the city in the morning thousands of Christmas shoppers gathered to watch the 500 troops.
'Anti-British'
The homecoming parade followed a six-month tour of duty in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan, where the regiment lost five soldiers and dozens of its men were injured.
A 43-year-old EDL member, a serving soldier who did not want to be named, said: "We came here to support our lads, and the UAF and other militants have turned up.A 43-year-old EDL member, a serving soldier who did not want to be named, said: "We came here to support our lads, and the UAF and other militants have turned up.
"I think it's disgusting. I look at their protest and there's a Pakistani flag flying with a Muslim symbol. Their protest isn't against the EDL, they're protesting against the troops and it's anti-British."I think it's disgusting. I look at their protest and there's a Pakistani flag flying with a Muslim symbol. Their protest isn't against the EDL, they're protesting against the troops and it's anti-British.
"They haven't got one Union Jack or St George's Flag. I'm not a fascist, I'm not a Nazi but I am British.""They haven't got one Union Jack or St George's Flag. I'm not a fascist, I'm not a Nazi but I am British."
Michael Vickery, from the UAF, said: "It's not good enough not to have any kind of a response (to the EDL presence) because basically, if we don't have a protest then it's letting them come into town and say: 'This is our place for the day' which it isn't, it belongs to everyone in Nottingham." Michael Vickery, from the UAF, said: "It's not good enough not to have any kind of a response (to the EDL presence) because basically, if we don't have a protest then it's letting them come into town and say 'this is our place for the day', which it isn't, it belongs to everyone in Nottingham."
Hundreds of officers were drafted in, some from other forces, to police the events in the city.
Nottingham Forest were also playing at home against local rivals Leicester City and thousands of Christmas shoppers had to walk round the protests in their hunt for gifts.
Nottinghamshire Police Authority estimates the security operation will cost it about £1m.
It has recently had to pay for policing of a number of other high-profile events, including a protest by climate change activists at Ratcliff-on-Soar power station and a recent visit by the Cabinet. It hopes to be able to claim back the money from central government.