School dinner lady suspended for attending march linked to EDL A school dinner lady has been suspended after attending a march organised by the former leader of the English Defence League. […]

A school dinner lady has been suspended after attending a march organised by the former leader of the English Defence League.

Mother-of-five Rachel Booth, 27, from Preston, claims she attended the UK Against Hate event on June 11 to express sympathy for victims of the Manchester Arena bombing.

Five days later Mrs Booth went to work at Moor Nook Primary School in Preston, where three of her children are pupils, and was suspended on the spot by Headteacher Suzanne Clough.

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‘Even if I was part of the EDL, which I’m certainly not, it should not have affected my job.’

“It came as a big shock,” said Mrs Booth. “To be honest I cried when I got out of there. It’s never happened to me before.

“I have never been in any kind of trouble with police.”

Violent protest

The march in Manchester’s city centre was organised by Tommy Robinson, who left the EDL in 2013 but continues his anti-Muslim activism.

The event was billed as a multi-cultural protest against extremism but descended into violence between far-right protesters and anti-racist counter protests.

Bottles and flares were thrown and eight people were arrested by police.

Mrs Booth says she was handed a letter telling her she was suspended for going on an EDL march which was considered “potential gross misconduct”.

“The grounds for suspending me are it was an EDL march, which is a load of rubbish”, she said.

“Even if I was part of the EDL, which I’m certainly not, it should not have affected my job.”

‘I’ve done nothing wrong’

She added: “I have done absolutely nothing wrong in my eyes.”

Mrs Booth claims she attended the march with her ex-military and “mixed race” husband to show solidarity with the Manchester bombing victims.

“I thought it was for the children and so I went,” she added.

‘I can confirm that a member of staff has been suspended, pending further inquiries’

The suspension with pay is understood to be a neutral act to let the school investigate footage of Mrs Booth at the march.

Mrs Booth is allowed onto school premises to drop off and pick up her children, and is expecting a meeting with the school soon.

Abuse outside school

She has been targeted for abuse at the school while picking up her children. “I got a bit of abuse yesterday, I got called a racist bitch,” she said.

Mr Robinson has launched an online petition in support of Mrs Booth.

Moor Nook Headteacher Ms Clough said: “I can confirm that a member of staff has been suspended, pending further inquiries.

“There are a number of inaccurate statements being made and one which is important to clarify is that the member of staff is able to attend school in their capacity as a parent.

“It would not be proper for me to comment further.”