A man has been charged after a police officer was punched during a protest on County Road in Liverpool. The anti-immigration demonstration and a counter-protest took place on Saturday, drawing hundreds of participants.
Protest Details
Anti-immigration protesters marched under banners reading 'no more illegals' and 'mass deportation', while a counter group supporting Liverpool's refugee community faced them from across the road. Merseyside Police deployed extra powers, including a dispersal zone, to maintain order. Eight arrests were made.
Charges Filed
Kieran Bieninda, 49, of Waller Close in Walton, has been charged with assaulting an officer and being drunk and disorderly. He was bailed and will appear at Wirral Magistrates Court on July 1.
Superintendent Phil Mullally condemned the attack: 'To attack a police officer when they are just doing their job and protecting others is absolutely despicable. We respect the right to peaceful protest, but violence or abuse towards officers is unacceptable.'
Local Reaction
The march drew criticism due to the area's history of disorder during the 2024 riots following the Southport murders. Liverpool City Council leader Liam Robinson stated that while local authorities cannot prevent such marches, many residents opposed it. Liberal Democrat leader Carl Cashman emphasized that peaceful protest is a right, but intimidating a community still recovering from past disorder is not.
Most businesses on County Road closed for the day, fearing a repeat of violence. One business owner said, 'I don't want to open the shop. I am foreign and people might just attack me because I am foreign.'
Other Arrests
A 26-year-old man arrested for breach of the peace and a 31-year-old man arrested for a public order offence and cannabis possession have been released with conditions. A 34-year-old man arrested for breach of the peace and violent disorder remains under investigation. No further action was taken against the other four individuals arrested.
