Three English Defence League supporters appeared at Aylesbury Magistrates Court on Friday over alleged offences on the day the group protested in May. Among them was Brian Price, 40, the EDL’s West Midlands co-ordinator.
Mr Price, of Stonehouse Lane in Quinton, gave no indication to his plea on a charge of violent disorder. Collum Keyes, 23, of Somerton Drive in Birmingham, pleaded not guilty to violent disorder. Prosecutor Shahreena Coker said the pair were arrested after EDL members surged through police lines after their Market Square protest on May 1.
Also in court was Daryl Hobson, 43, of Newland Road in Worthing, West Sussex. Wearing an EDL jersey, he pleaded not guilty to a charge of threatening and abusive behaviour.
Mr Price and Mr Keyes were told that their case would be heard at Aylesbury Crown Court, and were released on conditional bail – which prevents them taking part in EDL rallies – for a commital hearing on August 20. Mr Hobson was released on unconditional bail, with his trial at Aylesbury Magistrates Court set to start on November 8.
Postscript: Over at the Casuals United blog the EDL are boasting that yesterday they disrupted a meeting organised by the Islamic Association of Lincoln for the local Muslim community to discuss plans for a new mosque and community centre in the town. According to the EDL, they were confronted by “jihadists” and “politely asked to vacate the premises”. I mean, “politely asked to vacate the premises”. Are there no extremes to which these jihadists will not go in their efforts to oppress patriotic Britons?
Casuals United go on to claim that “Lincolns Mosque is due to be funded by Tablighi Jamaat the extreme Saudi sect behind 9/11”. In reality, the funding for the new mosque is being raised through an appeal to the Muslim community. As for Tablighi Jamaat, it is of course an organisation originating in South Asia that has no connection with Saudi Arabia, still less 9/11.
The EDL – not only violent but thick with it.
