Left-wing activists clash with riot police at Denby anti-BNP protest (with audio)

MASKED anti-BNP activists fought hand-to-hand with riot officers and pelted them with stones as the party held its controversial Red, White and Blue festival this weekend.

The violence happened on Saturday when protesters tried to barricade a road leading to the festival.

Police armed with batons moved in to quell the demonstrators, making 27 arrests.

Meanwhile, a 400-strong anti-BNP march passed off mostly without incident, apart from a scuffle when protesters wanted to go further than a pre-agreed police cordon.

Shops closed, traffic was disrupted and residents said they felt like prisoners in their own homes during the protests.

Now, they are pleading for the BNP not to return so the violence does not happen again.

Among those who faced disruption was farmer Chris Sewell, who was forced into a violent confrontation with the masked activists as he defended his family’s land.

The protesters, who chanted “down with the BNP”, poured from the farm’s fields to a junction with Codnor-Denby Lane at 11am on Saturday, with tyres, poles, gates and horse-jumps they used to build a barrier.

Police believe this was an attempt to block vehicle access to the festival.

Source:
Left-wing activists clash with riot police at Denby anti-BNP protest (with audio)
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