A second man has been charged with the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich, Scotland Yard said on Saturday.
Michael Adebolajo, 28, of Romford, Essex, was also charged with the attempted murder of two police officers and the possession of a firearm. He has been remanded in custody and will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday. Michael Adebowale, 22, has already been charged with murdering the young soldier and is due to appear at the Old Bailey on the same day.
Two men aged 42 and 46 arrested on suspicion of being involved in the illegal supply of guns were bailed to return to a south London police station later this month. Rival protesters clashed outside the Houses of Parliament and the English Defence League held events in towns and cities across the country in the wake of Drummer Rigby's murder.
Around 300 Unite Against Fascism (UAF) members gathered in Parliament Square to block the British National Party (BNP) from marching to the Cenotaph. Fierce shouting from both sides spilled into violence and dozens of police were required to break up the disorder at around 1pm. One BNP activist who suffered a large cut to his nose said: ''I've put my best suit on today and come out for a peaceful demonstration and this is what's happened. And to think they call us thugs!''
Scotland Yard said 58 people from the UAF protest were arrested under section 14 of the Public Order Act after they refused to move to their pre-arranged protest pen in Whitehall. The BNP group of around 150 people cheered as those arrested were handcuffed and led onto "Special Service" red double-decker London buses to be driven to police stations.
The far Right group held banners calling for ''hate preachers out'' while the counter protesters chanted ''fascist scum'' and ''you racist Nazis''. BNP leader Nick Griffin - who wore a protective vest under his shirt - warned that the murder of Drummer Rigby would not be an isolated incident. He said: ''I believe that by being here today we have at least taken a step to taking the debate to where it needs to be.
''Not about whether the terrible murder of Lee Rigby was isolated, something which will never happen again. We're pointing out that it will happen again and again and again until the West disengages with Islam and they leave our country.''
When asked why the BNP supporters were outnumbered, he replied: ''I think that a number of people who wanted to come have been turned away by the police. People have been attacked by the far Left gang on their way in, so perhaps that has cut numbers.''
But human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who attended the UAF rally, accused the BNP and the English Defence League (EDL) of exploiting Drummer Rigby's death. He said: "The BNP and EDL are exploiting the tragic murder of Lee Rigby for their own far Right political agenda. They are stirring up religious and racial hatred.
"We are here to say no to all hate. We reject the hatred spewed by the BNP and EDL, as well as the hatred incited by Islamist extremists. Our anti-BNP protest urges all communities to stand united against prejudice, discrimination and violence."
Protests by the Scottish Defence League (SDL) and anti-racism campaigners took place in Edinburgh's Old Town. The SDL held a static protest outside the Scottish Parliament, while UAF organised its own counter-protest. Police, who were at the scene in large numbers, kept the two groups apart with barriers in the city's Horse Wynd, in front of the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Two people were arrested. Small groups of EDL supporters gathered across England, including in Sheffield, Brighton, Luton, Colchester and Walsall.
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