Photos of the Police Trying to Push Anti-Fascists and Neo-Nazis Apart in Liverpool

This article originally appeared on VICE UK

Another weekend, another set of scuffles over British identity. On Saturday afternoon, far-right group the North West Infidels landed in Liverpool to exercise their "democratic rights to freedom of expression, speech, movement, and assembly." In this case, that meant meeting at the Crown Hotel, not far from Liverpool's Lime Street train station, and encountering by a counter-protest before they'd even started marching.

Police quickly surrounded the front of the pub, to keep back the growing group of anti-fascists and passersby as they escorted the Infidels to their congregation point in the city center. By the time the fascists had met up with another of their group on the steps of St George's Hall, things kicked off. Police had to pen in the far-right group while members of the counter-protest and Infidels reportedly pelted each other with loose missiles.

Counter-protesters stood against the police barricade, chanting "Nazi scum" while bottles, firecrackers, and other projectiles flew from both sides. Altogether, Merseyside police made 34 arrests, according to the BBC, and ended the afternoon with one of their officers concussed when hit by an object thrown in his direction. Here's what we saw.