Arrests in Whitechapel EDL attack

Arrests were made and one man was hospitalised after a fight broke out between a small group of EDL supporters and local men close to the East London Mosque on Saturday, 14th January.

Metropolitan Police were alerted at around 5pm by staff at local bar, Indo, after a small group of EDL (English Defence League) supporters – who had arrived at the bar incognito – became aggressive and then refused to leave the premises when asked by staff to do so.

By the time the first police arrived on the scene a large fight had erupted between the EDL supporters and some local men outside the mosque and near the pub. During the confrontation two EDL supporters entered the mosque and verbally abused worshipers inside and in fight on the street outside one of the EDL supporters received injuries for which he was hospitalised but are not considered life threatening.  According to witnesses he was able to walk with assistance onto the ambulance.

The police arrested 15 people to prevent a breach of the peace. All those arrested were released later that evening without charge. The police are refusing to confirm whether any local men were arrested or if all the fifteen were part of the EDL group.

The EDL had been attempting to demonstrate in Barking earlier that day. According to most accounts the march had been poorly attended and most EDL supporters had drifted away to local pubs. However, a small group led by someone calling himself “Mickey English” travelled uptown on the District Line to the “heart of Islam” to cause trouble.

Given EDL threats to return to Tower Hamlets after they were stopped from marching in the Borough last September, and given the direct tube line from Barking to Whitechapel, it is a mystery why police did not see the potential for trouble outside the mosque. The fact that there were no police on duty to forestall any trouble from the EDL and they had not warned local pubs and the mosque is a clear failure of police intelligence (both kinds).

A spokesperson for the East London Mosque told East London News how two of the EDL supporters entered the mosque and verbally abused worshippers. They were subsequently “shown the door” and the trouble continued outside, with EDL people throwing empty bottles at people leaving the building before they were confronted by a group of enraged local people.

East London News also spoke exclusively to the manager of Indo bar, who witnessed the events. The manager, who declined to be named, told us that early reports of the incident had been “grossly exaggerated”. The manager told us, “It was certainly not the battlefield everyone is making it out to be.” He went on to say that the EDL supporters arrived in several small groups. There were only “about seven” of them and none of them was wearing anything that would identify them to the venue as EDL. Until the trouble began they had no indication or forewarning that any members of the EDL were going to visit the venue.

He said the group only had one drink, after which they became more and more agitated and subsequently the barmaid – who was working alone – asked them to leave. When they refused to do so the police were called.

The group moved outside before the police arrived and got into a fight with some local men. According to Indo, there were “only about 30 or 40 people involved” and “it was certainly not the battlefield everyone is making it out to be”.

Pro-EDL websites have claimed that one of the EDL men got into the kitchen and “grabbed some knives”. The pub manager has completely refuted this story, telling us that one man attempted to gain access to the kitchen in what was probably an attempt to escape through the back door. According to the pub he was prevented from entering the kitchen by the brave actions of the lone female member of staff on duty who stood in his path preventing access.