Four arrests after protest
Nov 22 2009 by Tim Lewis, Wales On Sunday
FOUR people were arrested as Welsh Defence League (WDL) protestors were met with a strong police presence in Wrexham yesterday.
Around 50 members of the anti-Islam group gathered in the Wetherspoon’s pub in the town centre from 11am.
The WDL said they were protesting against the proposed new mosque in Wrexham and Muslim extremists.
Regent Street was closed by police as they dealt with the protestors who left the pub.
Police said the day passed without “significant incident” thanks to the large-scale force presence.
Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Ian Shannon, said: “I am pleased with the success of the police operation.
Jeff Hurford, of Unite Against Fascism who held a counter protest, said: “People from Wrexham were very supportive of us and it was good that so many people turned out to show the WDL they are not welcome.”
Four arrested in protest against Mosques in Wrexham
Nov 23 2009 by Eva Ketley, Daily Post
FOUR people were arrested at an anti-Muslim demonstration amid a strong police presence in Wrexham.
Around 40 members of a group calling themselves the Welsh Defence League (WDL) shouted racial abuse and gestured towards locals, saying they were protesting against plans for a new mosque.
Four people were arrested for public order offences, and North Wales’s Temporary Deputy Chief Constable, Ian Shannon said the day passed without “significant incident”. Meanwhile Unite Against Fascism held a counter-protest, near where the WDL gathered on Saturday.
And a Wrexham Communities Against Racism festival attracted around 200 people. Residents were joined by faith groups, the Wales TUC, Searchlight, Unison and members of Wrexham Council. Searchlight Cymru secretary Ian Titherington said none of the WDL protestors were Welsh, and they appeared to be members of the English Defence League (EDL).
He said: “This was the final humiliation for the EDL’s disastrous visits to Wales. The only way they could hold an event was to bus in 30 from Bolton, who on arrival went to the nearest pub, got drunk and bawled out racist chants.
The EDL gathering did not exactly sell any local links, by displaying a Bolton Wanderers FC English flag and singing God Save the Queen.”
The WDL was formed in June 2009 as an off-shoot of the EDL, which claims to campaign against Islamic extremism. The group insists it is not fascist. But at a march in Swansea in October, onlookers were confronted by jeering men giving Nazi salutes, and one was arrested for a racially aggravated public order offence.
BC Comment- W - welsh D- Defence L- League - what would you expect from a group/ org with that name? St George's crosses? God Save the Queen?
no - we don't understand either
A few miss-guided Casuals look to have been led up the garden path by the EDL with promises of glory-
do yourselves a favour lads - read your OWN history - find out about your OWN country and then decide if you want to parade through Welsh streets
with a group of lads who think a token red dragon flag is enough to allow them to bring their "bolton" or wherever flags
to our streets. I'm sure the frontline who were in the "spoons" felt great knowing that their fellow footy fans were across the road watching them being used by the EDL.
As to the EDL- to be blunt and totally honest- we dont care what they do or what they believe in, England is not our concern.
England is NOT our Country- and Wales is not theirs. for Any englishman (woman) wanting ideas about your own
patriotism- then we have a page for you with some links to a couple of forward thinking websites http://www.balchdercymru.com/freeengland.htm
pic (c) Sian Ifan
Pic thanks Sian and Gethin
Ap with the BBC 
