SCUFFLES broke out between English Defence League supporters and anti-fascist activists during a protest by the far-right group in Birmingham.
Today’s rally at Centenary Square attracted approximately 100 supporters but the police said it passed off largely without major disorder.
The West Midlands force said two people, understood to be counter-protesters, had been arrested for alleged breaches of the peace.
Officers policing the event were twice forced to form cordons to keep EDL supporters and anti-fascist activists apart.
Political leaders from all three major parties in Birmingham issued a joint message before the march opposing all forms of extremism.
The heads of the Labour, Liberal Democrat, and Conservative groups on Birmingham City Council urged people to go about their business as usual.
A statement issued by the city council on behalf of party group leaders John Clancy, Robert Alden and Jon Hunt said: “The English Defence League is not welcome in Birmingham. They will never be welcome in Birmingham.
“We would urge people to go about their normal everyday business. There is no place in our city for messages of hate. There is no place for intolerance and there is no place for violence or extremism of any kind.”
MOST READ IN NEWS
In a post on its Facebook page, the EDL said it had decided to move the rally, originally earmarked for Derby, in the wake of the Westminster terror attack.
The EDL has said its latest rally aims to highlight what it describes as a “continued increase in Islamic terrorism” linked to Birmingham.
In a statement explaining its decision to move the demonstration away from Derby, the EDL said Birmingham had been chosen as a venue because the city was “frequented” by Westminster terror attacker Khalid Masood.
West Midlands Police said it expected fewer than 100 protesters to attend the event with a counter-demonstration taking place at the same time nearby.
The force said in a statement: “We have developed professional links with EDL organisers who recognise it is in the group's best interests to protest and have their say peacefully.
“We will have a highly-visible police presence on the ground and sufficient police resources on standby should there be any trouble.”
An EDL march attended by an estimated 2,000 protestors in Birmingham on 20 July 2013 saw missiles including stones, bottles, and broken glass, hurled at police officers that resulted in several minor injuries.
More than 50 men were later convicted of violent disorder, including a 21-year-old who was jailed for three years and 10 months.
Two other men were charged with violent disorder after a counter-protest held on the same day.
Mosque hosts ‘best of British’ tea party in opposition to EDL
Officials at a mosque in the city chose to oppose the “hatred and division” of the EDL by hosting a “best of British” tea party.
The open-to-all gathering at Birmingham's Central Mosque, saw the building decked out with Union Jack bunting with tea and cake served to visitors.
Speaking to more than 100 guests at the tea party, which started two hours before the EDL event, the mosque’s chairman Muhammed Afzal said local people would remain united irrespective of their religion or race.
In a Facebook message, he wrote: “When the English Defence League is protesting and trying to divide the community, we are holding this party just to prove to them that Birmingham is a multicultural, multi-ethnic and multi-faith community.
“We are all united and they will not be able to divide us and create hatred.”
The West Midlands' elected Police and Crime Commissioner, David Jamieson, also attended the party.
Claiming the EDL was bringing “little more than division” to the region, Mr Jamieson said: “We are here today to celebrate the things that Brummies and English people hold in common.
“The English Defence League are spreading a message of hatred. They have come from outside Birmingham and they don't understand our values.”
Birmingham Hodge Hill MP Liam Byrne also addressed those gathered and said: “Today this is how we protest - by celebrating the quiet miracle of a normal life and the things that we love most about our city and about our country.
“Getting together as friends, getting together as neighbours, breaking a bit of Victoria sponge and having a cup of tea.
“That is a potent, powerful message that we will send to those who seek to divide us.”
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErKynZpOke7a3jqecsKtfaH95hJRyZ2irk6qzp7jErGSbqpWWuG671K1kmqxdmrGtec%2Brpq2do6l6qrqMm6CrpZmjtKmtzGaYrGWTnsG6v4ylnJqclafAbq%2FOp5uepZ5is6K%2BjKugoKCkYrSzu9Spqmagkamybq3NnWSipqSkuaa%2BwKeanmc%3D