Did you snap the EDL demo? Plea by police for your pictures (UK)

Police are asking the public for their pictures and video of violence that erupted when the English Defence League descended on Halifax at the weekend.

Divisional commander for Calderdale Chief Superintendent Chris Hardern says they are investigating a clash between some of the far-right group and counter-demonstrators at King Cross and the break-out of EDL members from the Eureka car park.

He urged residents who saw what happened, have footage or photographs, or who witnessed any other trouble, to get in touch.

Calderdale councillor Faisal Shoukat (Lab, Park) says he was assaulted after EDL supporters turned up at the counter-demonstration .

He said he was speaking to organisers of the counter-protest as they were setting up when EDL supporters turned up and started damaging the gazebo and speakers.

“They started shouting racist abuse and opening up a banner with racist remarks on it and they chanted ‘‘EDL’.” he said.

He suffered bruising to the back of his head and kidney area.

He said one of the EDL members was filming the incident.

Police have confirmed they are investigating an allegation of assault against a man during the King Cross disturbance.

The EDL had been told they could hold their protest in the Eureka car park, and the museum shut for the day because of the demonstration, but some of the group came intent on marching on the town’s streets.

Coaches are believed to have let some off in Sowerby Bridge, from where some marched into Halifax and others took buses into King Cross and the park opposite the William IV pub where the counter-demo was planned.

Police marched the protesters into the Eureka car park where the mob hurled glass bottles at police, shouted anti-Islamic chants and “Let’s go mental” before breaking fencing to get out of the car park and onto the Eureka grounds.

Officers donned riot gear and escorted the EDL supporters to coaches and the rail station and out of Halifax.

Chf Supt Hardern repeated the force’s thanks to members of the public for supporting officers’ efforts to keep disruption to a minimum.

“We want to thank the communities of Halifax and the rest of Calderdale for their patience, tolerance and understanding,” he said.

He added his thanks to officers for the courage they showed on Saturday, especially the ones who had to deal with the ones who broke out of the car park.

And he wants to thank partner agencies who police have been working with in the lead up to the event.

Anyone who can help the police should call 0845 6060606 or CrimeStoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

Halifax Courier

Russian nationalists given life for 27 racist murders

The ringleader was among the five men given life sentences for the 2007-08 killing spree in and around Moscow, which targeted people from Russia's mainly Muslim North Caucasus and from ex-Soviet Central Asia.

Standing in a glass box, the group shared jokes and attempted Nazi salutes in handcuffs before their sentencing in the Moscow Military District Court, state TV showed.

Eight members of the gang, including one young woman, were given terms of between eight and 25 years behind bars, Russian media reported.

Neo-nationalist groups have been increasing in number in Russia, and violent clashes in the capital between Muslims and ethnic Slavs have raised concerns authorities will be unable to keep order ahead of March 2012 elections.

Over the last two years, a judge and a lawyer who fought against neo-nationalists, Eduard Chuvashov and Stanislav Markelov, were shot and killed in attacks officials connected to their work.

Rights workers say the Russian government's lenient attitude to the far right allows racism to flourish in Russia, which is home to some 20 million Muslims, a seventh of the population.

Many migrants from the impoverished North Caucasus, where an Islamist insurgency is raging, come to the Russian heartland for menial work. They say they are often treated with suspicion by ethnic Russians and many face racism.

Those convicted on Monday belong to the far-right Nationalist Socialist Society, which was outlawed in February and whose logo is a red and black stylised swastika.

The group's leader Lev Molotkov pleaded not guilty, and the defence plans to appeal against the length of the sentences, Russian media reported.

After being convicted, some of the nationalists shouted: "Our conscience is above your laws, we'll be back!" Interfax news agency reported.

They were also found guilty of attempted terrorism, creating and participating in extremism and inciting racial hatred.

Reuters