People were banned from drinking outside some city centre pubs on Saturday – over fears of violence by far-right groups celebrating St George’s Day.

As part of a one-day police operation, pubs were told not to allow people to use outdoor seating in parts of the city centre where violence had broken out in previous years amongst BNP and EDL members. Pubs and bars in the Shambles area and on Deansgate told customers they were only allowed to drink indoors on St George’s Day.

But some customers said the action was unfair – as outdoor seating areas lay empty on a scorching spring afternoon.

A police spokesman said officers took the decision to ban outdoor drinking in the Shambles and Deansgate areas after alcohol related-violence occurred when supporters of far-right groups gathered there on St George’s Day in previous years.

He said: “Drinking outside in various areas was banned because members of the BNP and EDL had used them to congregate, leading to drink-fuelled violence. This was a one-day operation specifically for St George’s Day in one part of the city centre.”

Manchester Evening News, 25 April 2011

An English Defence League thug jailed for his part in a soccer riot could still be allowed to take up a place at a Midland university.

A-level student Joel Titus, 18, was caught on CCTV throwing objects and brawling with rival hooligans. His defence team asked an Old Bailey judge not to jail the EDL ringleader after he pleaded guilty to affray, as he had secured a place at the University of Birmingham. But Titus, who has a string of previous convictions including battery of a journalist, possession of a knife, and making threats to police, was sentenced to nine months.

Yet the teenager has NOT been banned from taking up his place at the University of Birmingham upon his release.

Titus had acted as a youth organiser for the EDL and even appeared on the BBC’s Newsnight to defend the violent anti-Islamic group.

He was cautioned for battery after punching a journalist at a demonstration against the “Islamification of Europe” in December 2009. Last summer Titus took part in the soccer riot between Brentford and Leyton Orient supporters in central London. He was captured on CCTV hurling objects at rivals and fighting over a wooden pole with another thug.

While on bail for the football brawl he was also convicted for threatening behaviour for snarling “f*** off” at a police officer who tried to break up a fight. He is due to be sentenced for that offence at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court in May.

Sunday Mercury, 24 April 2011

A Carlisle United employee has resigned following reports that Brunton Park stewards were among supporters of the man jailed for burning a copy of the Koran. United spokesman Andy Hall yesterday confirmed that a steward has now left the club.

Andrew Ryan, 32, of Summerhill, London Road, Carlisle, was sentenced to 70 days in prison for intentional religious/racial harassment on Monday. He arrived at the city magistrates’ court flanked by men waving the St George’s Cross and shouting nationalist chants.

The English Defence League Carlisle Division (EDL) had put out a call for members to support Ryan. The News & Star received reports that some of the men were stewards at Brunton Park and the club launched an investigation into their identity.

Mr Hall said: “We received the News & Star‘s photographs and are very thankful for it being brought to our attention. We looked at them with our safety staff who identified [one of the men] as a steward at Carlisle United.

“We contacted him, and he said he understood this could be misconstrued. He said that he would like to keep supporting the EDL. He said he would like to step down.

“The club will not tolerate any form of racist behaviour and, in conjunction with the FA and Football League ‘Kick it Out’ campaign, we are working strenuously to ensure that this issue does not arise at the ground.”

News & Star, 23 April 2011

Carlisle United have launched an investigation following reports that Brunton Park stewards were among supporters of the man jailed for burning the Koran.

Andrew Ryan, 32, of Summerhill, London Road, Carlisle, was sentenced to 70 days in prison for intentional religious/racial harassment on Monday. He arrived at the city magistrates’ court flanked by men waving the St George’s Cross and shouting nationalist chants.

The English Defence League Carlisle Division had put out a call for members to support Ryan. A group gathered to parade through the city centre with him, carrying a flag with “EDL” written on it. It also bore the scrawled message: “It’s our country, we are taking it back.”

Yesterday the News & Star received reports that some of the men were stewards at Brunton Park. The club has now launched an investigation into their identity. United spokesman Andy Hall said:

“We would like to thank the News & Star for bringing this to our attention. Having just received the images we now have to carry out a full investigation and we will, in due course, be able to comment further on our findings.

“As has been shown recently the club will not tolerate any form of racist behaviour and, in conjunction with the FA and Football League ‘Kick it Out’ campaign, we are working strenuously to ensure that this issue does not arise at the ground.

“However, it would be wrong of us to make any further comment on this specific incident until a full and thorough investigation has been completed.”

News & Star, 20 April 2011

A teenager from north-west London who is a prominent member of the English Defence League (EDL) is facing jail over his role in a pre-arranged fight between football hooligans.

Joel Titus, 18, [in centre of photo] took part in the bloody brawl between Brentford and Leyton Orient supporters outside Liverpool Street station in central London in May last year. The A-level student was captured on CCTV hurling objects at rivals and fighting over a wooden pole with another thug.

Titus had previously been cautioned for battery after punching a journalist at a right-wing demonstration against the “Islamification of Europe” in December 2009, the Old Bailey heard. Earlier this year he was found guilty of threatening behaviour after snarling “f*** off” at a police officer who tried to break up a fight.

He is reported to be a youth organiser for the EDL and has appeared on the BBC Newsnight programme talking about his role in protests.

Titus, of North View, Pinner, appeared in court alongside five other men, all of whom admitted a charge of affray at earlier hearings. All six were remanded in custody to be sentenced on Wednesday.

Press Association, 19 April 2011

Via Lancaster Unity

See also 24dash.com, 19 April 2011

Whether Titus is still involved in the EDL is questionable, but the fact is that he was earlier a key figure in the organisation, not least because his mixed-race origins were useful in deflecting attention from the reality that the EDL is made up overwhelmingly of white racists. The downside, from the standpoint of the rest of the EDL leadership, was that he also reinforced the image of their movement as a mob of drunken violent hooligans.

Update:  See “EDL member jailed for Liverpool Street football brawl”, BBC News, 20 April 2011

Titus punching photographer Marc Vallée at a Stop Islamisation of Europe protest
outside Harrow Central Mosque in December 2009. (Photo: Jonathan Warren)

A Carlisle man who set fire to the Koran in an act of “theatrical bigotry” has been jailed. Andrew Ryan, 32, shouted abuse about Muslims as he set the book alight in the city centre in January. Yesterday he was sent to prison for 70 days by district judge Gerald Chalk.

Ryan, of Summerhill, off London Road, Carlisle, claims to be a member of the English Defence League. He arrived at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court flanked by flag-waving supporters. Carrying the St George’s Cross, they were shouting “We love you England” and a variety of other nationalistic chants. Some followed Ryan into the building and when his sentence was passed they stormed out, shouting abuse as they left the courtroom.

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