EDL leader charged with assault on police

With one conviction for assaulting a police officer behind him the English Defence League's leader Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (with V-sign) who prefers to be known by the more marketable name of Tommy Robinson was up before the beak today once again charged with assaulting a police officer.

 The EDL are one of the most threatening groups seen on the streets for many years, Their 'literature' repeats again and again that they are not a racist group yet they march past mosques yelling "Allah is a paedo" and "Allah, Allah. Who the f**ck is Allah". They never miss an opportunity to insult Muslims by burning religious texts and selectively distorting Koranic quotations.

It's pretty clear that the EDL are intent on provoking violence by British Muslims and will continue to make trouble around the country in hope of kindling sufficient anger to attract white British racists to their number. They are the most unpleasant, corrosive and dangerous political group I've covered in 35 years of photographing Britain's pond life.

gallery