Violence breaks out at Tommy Robinson campaign event as masked supporters clash with crowds shouting ‘racist scum’, bricks are thrown and police cars are damaged in Oldham
- Footage posted to Twitter shows violence between Tommy Robinson supporters
- Two police vehicles were damaged after a disturbance broke out at the event
- Reports circulating that someone had been stabbed had been verified as false
Two police vehicles have been damaged after a disturbance broke out at a Tommy Robinson campaign event.
Footage posted on social media showed clashes between supporters of the campaigner, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, and counter-demonstrators in Oldham, Greater Manchester on Saturday afternoon.
A police spokesman said: ‘Today during a planned event in Oldham, officers responded accordingly to a disturbance in the Limeside area.
Objects thrown were believed to be bricks, damage has been caused to two police vehicles
‘A number of objects were thrown and some damage has been caused to two police vehicles but there have not been reported injuries.’
The force said the incident had been brought to a close, and that reports circulating that someone had been stabbed had been verified as false.
A live video posted on Facebook by a group calling itself the Muslim Defence League showed a group of Asian men standing and shouting across at the other crowd across the police blockade, with some throwing objects and shouting ‘racist scum’.
A live video posted on Facebook by a group calling itself the Muslim Defence League
The Facebook group Spotted: Oldham posted a picture of Hollins road, Oldham, Greater Manchester on ‘LOCK DOWN’ after rumours someone was stabbed spread
A separate live video shared on YouTube by Danny Tommo, an associate of Robinson, appeared to show the clashes from the other perspective. In the clip, he claims bricks are being thrown at his group.
Robinson was due to make an appearance in Limeside as he campaigns for the European elections, in which he is standing as a candidate for the North West.
It is unclear whether he was present during the trouble.
Former EDL leader Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (aka Tommy Robinson ) continues his campaign for a seat in the European Parliament representing the North West of England , by visiting Oldham
Reports circulating that someone had been stabbed had been verified as false
Jim McMahon, Labour MP for Oldham West and Royton, tweeted about seeing the town used for ‘hate and division’.
The shadow local government minister wrote: ‘It’s horrible to see our town being used for hate and division when our own future is a shared one, long after the circus has left town.
‘Very different from our own stall in Oldham earlier today where we celebrated our town.’
Alongside the words, he posted a video, adding: ‘We don’t need people, coming to our town, trying to divide us for their own political agenda.
‘We need to come together and be the best Oldham we can be.’
Robinson was due to make an appearance in Limeside as he campaigns for the European elections, in which he is standing as a candidate for the North West