English Defence league supportes directed Nazi salutes at opponents during VE Day march through Walthamstow, it has emerged.

Around 150 members of the far-right group assembled outside Blackhorse Road Station at 12pm, and marched to Waltham Forest town hall in Forest Road in a protest against the perceived Islamification of Britain. 

Ahead of the demonstration from midday on Saturday, the EDL had described Walthamstow as "Islamist bandit country". 

One photograph shows an EDL member performing a Nazi salute outside The Bell pub in Walthamstow and other similar pictures have circulated on social media.   

The EDL has been approached for comment. 

On the day, two people were injured and 14 arrested. 

One person was held on suspicion of grievous bodily harm. 

A counter demonstration organised by groups Unite Against Facism (UAF), London Anti-Fascists and We are Waltham Forest attracted hundreds of people. 

 

Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy said: “The EDL are coming here to provoke us.  

"But the community have shown them that they are not welcome here. 

“We enjoy living with the cultural differences in Walthamstow and we feel that should be celebrated. 

“There is a problem with extremism all over the world but the EDL have twisted their ideology to single out Islam.” 

“The EDL’s extremism needs to be taken down much in the same way as religious extremism.” 

The Londesborough-van Rooyen family, including two young children, joined the anti-EDL march.  

Mother Elaine said: “They are here to provoke a reaction and it is important to oppose that. 

“We are here all together because we believe it is important to make a stand and hopefully it will put our children in good stead for the future. 

“If there is any sign of danger we would get out straight away.” 

A pensioner living in Blackhorse Road, who did not wish to be named, said she was stunned by the size of the police presence. 

“It feels completely different than the last march, there is definitely more opposition," she said. 

“We have a lot of gang problems round here and the EDL are like another gang.  

"But what I will say is when you need a copper here normally you can never get one, they never come.” 

Ameenur Rasheed, a Muslim who stood in front of the EDL cordon outside the town hall before being removed by the police, said: “They are very intimidating and I am actually quite scared. 

"I am here to find the dynamics and reasoning for their movement but I cannot see any. 

“It seems to me that they want to create a ghetto for white skin. 

“They look very aggressive but I think they should be allowed to march. 

“It totally exposes them to the world so people can see what they are actually like. 

“They are more like a football crowd than a political group. 

“I was just watching to try and listen to their speeches but the police pushed me back.  

"It looks as though they are protecting the EDL, not us.” 

Nancy Taaffe, of the Trade Union Socialist Coalition, claims two of her colleagues were unfairly arrested. 

She added: “We are supposed to be celebrating Victory in Europe, the ultimate victory over fascism, but the opposition was criminalised, pushed and corralled by police all day.” 

Ellie Merton, who ran as an Independent candidate for Walthamstow in the General Election, said the march was a complete waste of police resources. 

“I am appalled that they have been allowed to march by police and the Home Office," she said. 

“There were families trapped in their cars for hours absolutely terrified because they had no idea what was going on. 

“There were helicopters and about ten police officers, including riot police, to every EDL member.  

"In the age of austerity it is a complete waste of money. 

“Nobody wanted the march to go ahead except the Home Office.” 

Alisadair Smith, a 51-year-old teacher of Blackhorse Road, said: “The EDL were bussed in from all over the country. 

“There is not a single local person amongst them. 

“They come to Walthamstow dragging their knuckles attempting to stir up racial hatred yet the police treat the opposition in the same way. 

“It is disgusting.” 

As speeches took place at the town hall, EDL supporters chanted "jump, jump, jump" at people looking down from their balconies in flats opposite. 

One young EDL member, who did not want to be named, said the organisation  was in Walthamstow to "protect the English". 

He said: “We will be extinct. S***holes like this have been breeding radical nutjobs for years.” 

EDL spokesperson Keith Thomas said the EDL had "unfinished business" in the area. 

“There is nothing to be fearful over. We are not violent but some of our members are very angry”, he said. 

“The opposition always provoke the violence and we feel we need to shout our opinion to be heard. 

“We have got nothing against individual Muslims. We are focused on the behaviour of radical Islam and the illegal behaviour under English law. 

“We are not here to recruit members but raise consciousness and if people want to join us, they can. 

“We had unfinished business in Walthamstow, after the 2012 march where we were attacked and have had a much better turnout this time.” 

As the EDL were being led down the escalator at Blackhorse Road station at the end of the day by full police escort there were cries of “We will be back Walthamstow.”