Police ready for 'perfect storm'

[Standard Dave]

Police preparing for major operation in Nottingham

POLICE are preparing a "substantial" operation to deal with major public events in and around Nottingham this Saturday equivalent to a "perfect storm".

Around 450 soldiers – the majority of members of the 2nd Battalion (Worcesters and Foresters) who have served in Afghanistan – will be marching through the streets to Old Market Square after attending a remembrance service at St Mary's in the Lace Market at 10am.

The English Defence League (EDL), which describes itself as peacefully protesting against militant Islam, will gather near the Castle to hold a rally at an as yet undisclosed time and location in the city centre.

Anti-fascist groups Unite Against Fascism (UAF) and Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP are staging separate rallies in Old Market Square and outside the Royal Centre.
And Nottingham Forest play Leicester City at the City Ground at 1pm.

Notts Police have already presented a briefing to a meeting of community, faith and education leaders, informing them about both groups and suggesting how they can help on the day.

A police spokesman said: "Both groups plan to hold their demonstrations during the day, at a time when families and shoppers will be visiting Nottingham in large numbers.

"Nottinghamshire Police and our partners at Nottingham City Council have two main duties in relation to the day – to ensure that visitors to Nottingham city centre are allowed to go about their normal business in a safe and unthreatening environment, and to facilitate peaceful protest for any group that wishes to exercise the democratic right to free speech.

"With these two aims in mind, we will have a substantial policing operation that will seek to balance the rights of all."

During the service at St Mary's five candles will be lit, one for each of the Mercian soldiers who have died on the most recent tour – Lance Corporal Keiron Hill, Private Robert Laws, Private Jason Williams, Private Gavin Elliott, and Sergeant Michael Lockett.

The troops are then due to be guests at the Forest game and at half-time they will parade around the pitch.

The homecoming march is expected to see hundreds of people of all ages taking to city centre streets, including many young families.

The regiment, which includes soldiers from Notts, Derbyshire and Worcestershire, flew out in March this year to help train the Afghan National Army.

Nine people were arrested in Leeds city centre on Saturday, October 31 this year, during a police operation to keep apart the EDL and UAF during two separate protests. Around 900 EDL supporters gathered for their protest. A rival protest of up to 1,500 UAF supporters took place about 300 metres away.

______________________________ _______________________

There have been a number of problems with facists, radical islamists, anti-facists, socailists and communists in cities during the home coming parades for troops returning from Iraq and Afganistan.

[lewisipso]

Wow.

[Motorwaycop]

I'm not on nights till 1900 on saturday.

Any overtime going, can bring my own baton.

Sounds like it could be a running battle. Hang on running! err just remembered need to wash my hair.

[MonsterMash]

Sound like the returning soldiers need to stomp the shit out of the bad guys to me.

[Standard Dave]

I'm not on nights till 1900 on saturday.

Any overtime going, can bring my own baton.

Sounds like it could be a running battle. Hang on running! err just remembered need to wash my hair.

It was all over by 19:00 they deployed the reserve at 16:30 I had returned order by 16:50 when I took my prisoner in

One of the forces that came mutial aid had a traffic officer driving each PSU van, it wouldn't be fair to make them get out i suppose it takes to long to reattach their legs

[lewisipso]

Hope no officers were injured.