Heywood

3rd March 2012

Rochdale Online: Protest by far right groups passes peacefully:

Around 100 members of the National Front and the North West Infidels took part in a protest in Heywood today (Saturday 3 March).

The demonstration, which took place in the Memorial Gardens on Church Street, passed peacefully with only a small number of arrests for minor offences.

Two protestors were arrested for public order offences while a 49-year-old man was arrested earlier in the day for a racially-aggravated public order offence.

The demonstration started at around 1.15pm and by 2.30pm all those partaking had been dispersed.

The people who were taking part held placards, banners and flags and were confined into the gardens where they listened to speeches. They made a request to march through Heywood, which was denied by police.

There was an increased police presence in the town to manage the demo. Businesses opened as normal but pubs in the area closed.

23rd February 2012

English Defence League and British National Party supporters held a flashmob demonstration tonight.

Around 200 people, mainly youths, clashed with police officers and brought the town of Heywood to a stand still. Yobs threw missiles and bricks at police during the disturbance on the 23rd Feb 2012.

A Greater Manchester Police officer suffered bruising to his legs and arms during the trouble on Bridge Street. No other injuries were reported. A car and three police vehicles were damaged, and a takeaway food outlet's windows were smashed. The owners of the takeaway have nothing to do with the high profile court case in Liverpool about a Rochdale grooming gang.

A 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence and police assault. A 14-year-old boy was arrested for causing danger to a public highway.

Police have stepped up patrols after the flashmob's night of violence.