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Anti-fascists, far-right protesters clash with police in Bristol

Sunday, 05 June 2016 6:39 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 05 June 2016 8:54 AM ]

Protests from Refugees Welcome held demonstrations in central Bristol on Saturday. (Bristol Post)

Hundreds of protesters have held demonstrations in Bristol, Britain to campaign for and against immigration, with police officers in riot gear and riding on horses in the streets.

The protests held on Saturday resulted in police clashing with far-right protesters and anti-fascists in the city center.

Protesters from groups including the English Defense League and the "South West Infidels" left a pub on Hotwell Road.

They walked to College Green in Bristol while a counter-rally, organized by many more people from different groups in Bristol, was being staged to support refugees.

Nearly 400 people from the anti-fascist side met near Queens Square with various rallies from unions and their speakers.

The demonstrators represented charities, refugee support organizations, anti-racism groups and unions.

A small minority of troublemakers who wanted to disturb the peaceful protests tried to go into areas which were out of bounds.

However, they were intercepted and clashes were prevented by officers, who arrested one person on suspicion of affray.

“There was a very small minority who blatantly disregarded our request for a peaceful day but they failed to disrupt today’s planned events,” Supt Rhys Hughes, Deputy Bristol Commander, said.

The anti-fascist demonstrators were the first to hold protests at around midday in King Street before the far-right groups started their own protests about an hour later.

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