Review as police liaison filmed telling group to ‘discard’ weapons in mosque
Force admits public confidence undermined by social media footage during anti-immigration protest
Neil Johnston,
SENIOR NEWS REPORTER
5 August 2024 • 9:50pm
Footage on social media appears to show the incident outside a mosque on Saturday
A police force has admitted public confidence was undermined after an officer was filmed telling counter-protesters to discard weapons at a mosque.
Staffordshire Police has launched a review after a protest liaison officer told a crowd gathered outside a mosque in Stoke-on-Trent, in Staffs, to “discard” any weapons within the place of worship.
The officer was filmed in a video, which was live streamed on TikTok, addressing a crowd of men outside the Darul Falah mosque in Hanley, on Saturday as riots swept the country.
Counter-protesters had gathered as an anti-immigration protest took place in the city centre, later turning violent.
In footage believed to be filmed after the counter protest, the liaison officer, wearing a blue police vest, addressed those attending and said the “EDL lot have gone home” and that they must dispose of any weapons.
Speaking through a loudspeaker, the liaison officer appears to say he would be “reassured that anything that goes on now we won’t need to make any arrests”.
“We will work with you guys for the best solution,” he said. “The EDL lot I’ve been assured have left.
“If there are any weapons or anything like that, then what I would do is discard them at the mosque.
“Don’t give anybody any reason to have any interaction with the police, so if there’s any weapons, get rid of them, we are not going to arrest anybody. You don’t want us to make arrests or start dispersing people. Is that alright?”