Muslim hecklers drowned out by counter-protesters singing "God Save the Queen" and flinging pork sausages at the hecklers.A group of extremist Muslims prompted violent clashes at a homecoming parade for British troops today after they heckled soldiers and called them 'murderers.' Members of the Muslim Against the Crusade group clashed with far right protesters as they shouted 'murderers, murderers, murderers' and 'British troops go to hell' as members of the 1st Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment paraded down the streets of Barking, Essex.
The chants were drowned out by a large mob on the opposite side of the street who retaliated with jeers of 'Traitors' to the Muslim protesters.
The hour-long parade had been delayed due to growing tensions between the two sides, with anti-Mac protestors singing God Save the Queen and drinkers at a nearby pub hurling frozen pork sausages at the Muslims.
Moments after the soldiers passed through tensions reached boiling point and the anti-Mac campaigners broke through the barricades, charged across the road and traded punches with the Muslim throng.
Police quickly separated the mob, with one man wrestled to the ground, handcuffed and led away while the police made a ring surrounding the Muslim group. They then had to hold back the anti-Muslim group as the Mac protesters made their way to a tube station.
Two men were arrested after the violence, for public order offences.
One member of the Mac group used a megaphone to shout: 'This is a protest against parading in a Muslim area. We love death the way you love life.'
The Muslim protesters chanted 'Democracy' as they had an uneasy stand-off against a mob, some waving St George's Crosses, Union flags and an English Defence League flag. Anti-Mac protesters sang 'I'll be English 'till my dying day,' and jeered 'We pay your benefits'.
The soldiers remained undaunted by the abuse, and marched through the town centre with fixed bayonets, accompanied by the Minden Band, a Colour Party and two guards of 70 officers and non-commisioned officers.
The Freedom parade stopped briefly in Barking Town Square where the Mayor, Councillor Nirmal Singh Gill, General Sir John McColl and the Queen's deputy Lieutenant Major Anthony O'Hagan took a salute and inspected the troops.
| Good photos at the link. There were a couple of Mac signs I can't quite read, although it's clear they all came from the same source, unlike the EDL side. Jihad is holy war, and the Mac bunch clearly fancy themselves something of an army. |