There has been trouble leading to five arrests around West London Magistrates Court in Talgarth Road on Wednesday May 11 following a court appearance by a member of the extremist group the English Defence League.

A police helicopter hovered above the scene, and police were out in force attempting to keep the peace along Talgarth Road and at Barons Court and Hammersmith underground stations.

Scuffle Breaks Out near Court



WPC Knocked to the Ground

A member of HammersmithToday.co.uk's forum reports: " Don't think anybody who saw them today will believe the pretence any longer that they are not one and the same as the BNP. Drunken shaven headed yobs walking around our streets isn't something we should have to put up with. Why on earth was there so many of them? I heard something about a court case. Apparently there has been quite a bit of trouble this evening."

On its website, the EDL had asked supporters to turn up and protest on Wednesday when its leader Stephen Lennon appeared at the magistrates court.

Lennon, who also uses the pseudonym Tommy Robinson, was facing trial for public order offences.

Outside the court, there were clashes between his supporters and opponents, which were broken up by officers from the Met's Territorial Support Group.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman, who put the number of people involved at around 65, said: "We were called at about 4.40pm to reports of a disturbance. Officers attended to deal with two groups fighting. Five people have been arrested for various public order offences."

Video footage of Disturbances in Hammersmith
(courtesy of @everythingedl)

May 11, 2011