Protesters gather in Blackpool, Preston and Blackburn amidst huge police presence

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There was huge police presence acrosss Lancashire today as large crowds of protesters gathered in Blackpool, Preston and Blackburn.

But the day’s biggest disturbance was in Blackpool, with reports of scuffles and objects being thrown at the police outside the Winter Gardens.

This followed a peaceful start to the gathering in the resort at around 3pm.

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The protests followed violent disturbances across the country following the tragic, fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport.

It came after factually misleading comments on social media which wrongly said the alleged perpetrator of the stabbings was a Moslem immigrant, leading to a violent gathering outside a Southport mosque.

Since then there have been riotous incidents across the country, in the run-up to today's gatherings in Lancashire, linked to a Far Right organisation called the English Defence League.

Blackpool: Protesters - described as Right-Wing - move towards police officers standing in front of a hotel here assylum seekers are housedBlackpool: Protesters - described as Right-Wing - move towards police officers standing in front of a hotel here assylum seekers are housed
Blackpool: Protesters - described as Right-Wing - move towards police officers standing in front of a hotel here assylum seekers are housed | National World

In Blackpool, the protesters gathered close to the cenotaph on the North Shore seafront, facing the Metropole Hotel known to house a number of asylum seekers.

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Standing in between was a line of police officers in fluorescent yellow jackets, while mounted police were also in attendance.

A speech was given by one individual who spoke out against illegal immigrants, including those trying to reach Britain via boats across the English Channel.

The protests on the Flag Market in PrestonThe protests on the Flag Market in Preston
The protests on the Flag Market in Preston | Neil Cross

A chant went up of “stop the boats” but at this stage there was no sign of a violent disturbance.

Police blocked off migrant hotel

There was momentary tension, however, when some of the group approached the line of police officers standing in the way of the migrants’ hotel and there were angry shouts against the occupants.

There was no sign of asylum seekers in or near the hotel.

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One protester said: “I am not right-wing, I am just against people coming over here who should not be in this country.”

Another woman, however countered: “The lad in Southport was born in Britain, he wasn’t even an illegal immigrant.”

To complicate matters, Blackpool also has a large gathering of punk rock fans for the Rebellion festival, some of whom voiced opposition to the protesters.

Later, there were claims that some bottles had been thrown at police in another part of town, and that a woman had been arrested on a public order offence, but this has not yet been confirmed by police.

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In Preston’ Flag Market, the so-called right wing protesters were outnumbered by an opposition group and more so by a huge crowd of onlookers.

But there seemed to be little trouble apart from eggs being thrown by one group, with a large police presence in attendance.

Let her go

One woman was arrested after being knocked over and launching into an angry tirade, with a crowd chanting at the police to let her go

There was also a protest in Blackburn town centre today, when a short peaceful protest was held..

After around 30 minutes the group made their way back to Barbara Castle Way.

Lancashire Police said it did would not comment on an ongoing operation, with protesters still on the streets,

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