Anti-immigration march organiser blasts protesters who surrounded vicar
Protesters complained bells had been deliberately rung to drown out speeches
The organiser of an anti-illegal immigration march has condemned protesters who stormed Doncaster Minster and surrounded its vicar, saying: “I don’t condone what they did - they had nothing to do with us” - and says he will apologise to the clergyman.
The Revd Canon Dr Richard Frith, Vicar of Doncaster Minster, was pictured with a number of police alongside him as protesters from Unite The Right UK gathered outside the church for speeches following a march through the city centre.
Unite The Right UK spokesperson Steve Dand has issued a video statement condemning a number of people for going inside the church to challenge the vicar over claims bells were deliberately being rung to drown out speeches.
He said: “I want to clarify a few things about the march on Saturday whch we at Unite The Right UK are not happy about.
“We’re not happy that people entered the church to confront the vicar.
“We know that the vicar attended the counter protest - we weren’t impressed that happened - but that doesn’t give people the right to enter that church and confront him about it.
“These auditors do not repesent Unite The Right UK.
“They have nothing to do with us. I don’t condone what they did.
“Entering a house of God and confronting the vicar was out of order - it should never have happened. I will personally apologise to the vicar for what was done.”
A post shared on a page called Active Patriot UK said: “Vicar in Doncaster gets surrounded by patriots in his church and needs police guards after attending hope not hates (sic) counter protest against them and getting church bell ringers to practice during patriots speeches today.” (Saturday).
Earlier, a counter protest, organised by Doncaster Together and Doncaster Stand Up To Racism. gathered in Sir Nigel Gresley Square before a march to the Frenchgate centre and Clock Corner.
The Unite The Right UK demonstration saw flag-waving protesters marching through the city centre - with Doncaster Stand Up To Racism and Doncaster Together organising a counter protest.
Demonstrators draped in Union flags and England flags gathered near to Doncaster Gallery Library and Museum on Chequer Road before being escorted through the city centre by South Yorkshire Police.
Walking behind a banner criticising Prime Minister Andy Burnham, protesters shouted slogans including “stop the boats, “save our kids” and “send them back” as they marched along Hall Gate and High Street, where police dealt with a brief flashpoint at the entrance to Priory Walk, where protesters briefly clashed with a mother and her daughter.
When the march met the Doncaster Stand Up To Racism protest at Clock Corner, police kept the two sides apart as both groups briefly exchanged words before police directed the Unite The Right protest towards Doncaster Minster, outside where speeches took place on the green.
During the speeches, bells could be heard ringing from inside Doncaster Minster.
Earlier, the counter protesters had gathered in Sir Nigel Gresley Square where Mayor Ros Jones as well as representatives of local trade unions addressed the crowd.
Protesters carrying anti-racism banners were then allowed to march through Waterdale into the city centre.
The demonstrations attracted a heavy police presence, with numerous officers patrolling the routes of both protests.
A spokesperson for Doncaster Together said: “Doncaster Together Alliance predicted that the Unite the Right march in Doncaster would end in violence and thuggery.
“Sadly, that prediction was proved correct when a woman and her daughter were attacked by self-styled ‘patriots’, and then the vicar of St Georges church had to be protected by police as thugs invaded the church to threaten him.
“Why the police allowed them to march onto holy ground needs to be explained.
“The Unite the Right march was called to ‘oppose illegal migrants’. This was a bogus excuse to cause trouble. There are no ‘illegal’ migrants in Doncaster so why come here? The answer is that they want to build a base of hard-core racists in our town.
“The organisers of Unite the Right are based in London and brought supporters from across the country to bump up their numbers.
“In contrast to the far-right, the message at the Doncaster Together rally was supported by community leaders, social justice campaigners and trade unionists. Our message was exactly theopposite of Unite the Right and at short notice, one hundred people attended.