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| Rival protesters and police clash | Rival protesters and police clash |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Police have clashed with members of the English Defence League during a protest in Nottingham, with 11 people arrested. | Police have clashed with members of the English Defence League during a protest in Nottingham, with 11 people arrested. |
| Some 300 demonstrators from the EDL marched through the city centre shouting: "We want our country back." | Some 300 demonstrators from the EDL marched through the city centre shouting: "We want our country back." |
| Earlier there was a stand-off between the EDL and Unite Against Fascism, who held a counter protest in the city. | Earlier there was a stand-off between the EDL and Unite Against Fascism, who held a counter protest in the city. |
| Mounted police held back demonstrators with batons and punches were thrown at police. One female officer and a protester suffered minor injuries. | Mounted police held back demonstrators with batons and punches were thrown at police. One female officer and a protester suffered minor injuries. |
| Many of the EDL demonstrators had their faces covered with hooded tops and scarves and shouted anti-Islamic slogans. | Many of the EDL demonstrators had their faces covered with hooded tops and scarves and shouted anti-Islamic slogans. |
| 'Kicked police dog' | |
| Other protesters had Union Jacks and St George's flags which they either waved or wrapped around their shoulders as a police officer shouted instructions at the crowd from a helicopter circling overhead. | Other protesters had Union Jacks and St George's flags which they either waved or wrapped around their shoulders as a police officer shouted instructions at the crowd from a helicopter circling overhead. |
| Some of the group waved placards with slogans such as "Protect Women, No To Sharia" and "No Surrender". | Some of the group waved placards with slogans such as "Protect Women, No To Sharia" and "No Surrender". |
| 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 | 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 |
| 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. | |
| A spokesman said they had planned the demonstration for Saturday as the Second Battalion the Mercian Regiment was holding a homecoming parade in Nottingham following a recent tour of Afghanistan. | A spokesman said they had planned the demonstration for Saturday as the Second Battalion the Mercian Regiment was holding a homecoming parade in Nottingham following a recent tour of Afghanistan. |
| The EDL and UAF exchanged hostile words in the city's Old Market Square but large numbers of police officers managed to keep the rival demonstrators apart. | The EDL and UAF exchanged hostile words in the city's Old Market Square but large numbers of police officers managed to keep the rival demonstrators apart. |
| Police clashed with English Defence League supporters | |
| Nottinghamshire Police said they had deployed more than 700 officers, including some drafted in from Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, the West Midlands, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Humberside. | Nottinghamshire Police said they had deployed more than 700 officers, including some drafted in from Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, the West Midlands, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Humberside. |
| The force said a 29-year-old Nottinghamshire officer received an arm injury while policing the cordon and was taken to Nottingham's Queens Medical Centre for treatment but the injury was not thought to be serious. | The force said a 29-year-old Nottinghamshire officer received an arm injury while policing the cordon and was taken to Nottingham's Queens Medical Centre for treatment but the injury was not thought to be serious. |
| One of the 11 men arrested on suspicion of minor public order offences was also taken to hospital, with police saying it was believed he kicked a police dog, which then bit him. | One of the 11 men arrested on suspicion of minor public order offences was also taken to hospital, with police saying it was believed he kicked a police dog, which then bit him. |
| The BBC's Ben Ando said the arrests came when a small number of EDL protesters clashed with police who were containing them near the city's main railway station. | The BBC's Ben Ando said the arrests came when a small number of EDL protesters clashed with police who were containing them near the city's main railway station. |
| 'Anti-British' | |
| Thousands of Christmas shoppers gathered to watch 500 troops from the Mercian Regiment parade through the city in the morning. | Thousands of Christmas shoppers gathered to watch 500 troops from the Mercian Regiment parade through the city in the morning. |
| 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. | 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. |
| We came here to support our lads, and the UAF and other militants have turned up English Defence League member | |
| 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." |
| After the rally missiles were thrown at a breakaway group of the EDL but no-one was hurt. | After the rally missiles were thrown at a breakaway group of the EDL but no-one was hurt. |
| The EDL marchers were led to the railway station by police and began boarding trains back to their homes at around 1630 GMT. | The EDL marchers were led to the railway station by police and began boarding trains back to their homes at around 1630 GMT. |
| Nottinghamshire's Assistant Chief Constable Ian Ackerley said the force had faced a series of complex events but had achieved "a successful outcome to a very challenging day". | Nottinghamshire's Assistant Chief Constable Ian Ackerley said the force had faced a series of complex events but had achieved "a successful outcome to a very challenging day". |