A police investigation has been launched after a case against a 63-year-old anti-fascist protester was dropped when new evidence came to light.
Alan Clough, of Ainsworth Road, Radcliffe, was due to stand trial at Bolton Magistrates Court yesterday accused of threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour at the EDL and UAF rally in March.
But the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) made the decision not to proceed with the case on Monday after viewing footage of the rally.
Justice4bolton, a campaign group which claimed police used heavy-handed tactics on the day, allege the footage shows Mr Clough being pushed by police officers and hit on the head with a baton, before being pushed to the ground and arrested.
A spokesperson for Justice4bolton said the organisation had received “an overwhelming number of reports” alleging “violent behaviour on the part of the police on March 20”.
A spokesperson for the CPS said: “Having viewed footage received from the defence team, we felt that there was no longer a realistic prospect of securing a conviction.
“Given this, the correct decision was to drop the charge against Mr Clough.”
A police spokesman said: “GMP has received a complaint in relation to footage which appears to show a man being inappropriately struck during his arrest at the EDL protest in Bolton in March, 2010.
“The footage is now being viewed by officers from Greater Manchester Police’s professional standards branch.
“An internal investigation is now under way, as a result it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”
Bolton News
