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A protest held by a far-right group in Coventry city centre this afternoon has passed off without incident.

Despite concerns that the demonstration, organised by the EDL splinter group the West Midlands Infidels, would lead to disorder in the city a large police presence nullified any potential issues.

No arrests were made and no offences were recorded.

Around 30 members of different far-right groups like the National Front and the Scottish Defence League took part in the protest.

They assembled in The Litten Tree in Warwick Road, at around midday before marching to Speakers Corner where a number of speeches took place.

There was a handful of minor scuffles but they were quickly dealt with by officers.

Traffic was briefly held close to the site of the protest, but there was almost no disruption to shoppers or pedestrians in the area.

Officers used police vans to block off the entrance to Broadgate as around 50 anti-fascist protesters were holding a counter-demonstration in the square.

Patrick Connellan, from Unite Against Fascism, said: “The protest could have been bigger, but to get so many people here at short notice when a little fascist organisation is bringing their bile to Coventry is good.

“It was hard to know what they were doing.

“Coventry is the city of peace and reconciliation. It’s a very multicultural city so this is the last thing it needs.”





The protest was originally planned after racist graffiti was painted on the door of a Willenhall mum’s front door.

But a white person was arrested on suspicion of committing that offence and the victim distanced herself from the protests.

The group then said they were protesting following the murder of Daniel Kirkwood, which they said was racially motivated.

In a strongly worded statement Daniel’s family hit back, saying they do not condone anyone using the teenager’s death “as a way to espouse their hate and bile”.