The BBC has acknowledged the truth of the situation in Bolton

I’m going to screen shot this in case it changes later. But BBC North West reporting on this afternoon’s protest in Bolton actually says

Clashes have broken out between rival groups after protests in Bolton town centre.

Police officers in riot gear and mounted on horses have been trying to separate two groups – one waving England flags and the other mainly including Asian men.

An anti-immigration protest began peacefully outside Bolton Town Hall earlier, (my bold) but within half an hour, about 300 people, who mostly had their faces covered with black face masks or balaclavas, charged towards the building.

They began shouting “Allahu Akbar” – a phrase meaning God is greatest – as they arrived at one side of the town hall, where a separate group had gathered waving England flags.

Police officers in full riot gear, with batons raised, were swiftly joined by a line of horses.

At one point, amid a further cry of “Allahu Akbar”, eggs were thrown at the officers, before the group began charging around streets in the town centre.

Greater Manchester Police said it had implemented a Section 34 order in the area, giving officers extra powers to deal with anti-social behaviour, and Section 60 and Section 60AA orders, which grant greater stop and search powers and the authority to insist face coverings are removed.

This is Philip Norton the BBC reporter on the spot.

I’m in #Bolton where tensions are high- around 250-300 members of the Asian community joined a counter protest outside Bolton Town Hall around 1:30pm. Cries of ‘allahu akbar’ towards protestors opposite waving England flags and slogans. pic.twitter.com/jRmQjipXgy

— Phillip Norton (@phillipnorton) August 4, 2024

I don’t (yet) have a clip of his live broadcast but I am reading both praise of his forthrightness and complaints. For example:

Phillip Norton on BBC news in Bolton calling it a “peaceful pro British protest” that was disrupted by a group of “200 members of the Asian community came charging at the police” Way to fan the flames you fascist prick.

And

The BBC actually reporting that a patriotic protest was peaceful and orderly until aggressive Muslims turned up. We live in interesting times.