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11th Jun 2017

Disgraceful scenes in Manchester as ‘UK against hate’ protesters break police lines

JOE

Only a week ago, Manchester held its One Love concert to help those bereaved and injured by the sickening Arena bombing.

After an understandably difficult few days for the city and its people it was an emotional night for all those in attendance but one in which their sense of civic pride was evident.

Throughout the concert, the gratitude of the city’s people towards their emergency services – who have rightly been praised for the quick response to the terrorist attack – was clear.

This point considered, it’s quite staggering that on Sunday afternoon, seven days after the concert, police officers were shoved to the ground by demonstrators attending a rally organised by former EDL leader, Tommy Robinson.

Police in the city had earlier warned people to stay away from the Piccadilly Gardens area, with anti-protesters meeting the protesters there.

Footage obtained by the Manchester Evening News shows protesters intentionally breaking through a line of police officers near the city’s Piccadilly rail station, cheering as they went.