Out-of-area protesters asked to 'go home'

Protesters travelling into Crewe to demonstrate outside the headquarters of a religious group where police raids took place last month have been asked to "go home" by the council leader.

Webb House, the home of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL), was the scene of a huge police operation in April, with 12 people arrested on suspicion of serious sexual offences, modern slavery and forced marriage.

Since then, the site has also attracted regular protests, with a number of arrests. Police were called once again this week after reports of fireworks being set off.

Nick Mannion, leader of Cheshire East Council, said he understood people had questions, but asked those travelling in from outside the town to "stop and go home" and said their "actions were not helping anyone, certainly not people living locally".

Speaking at the local authority's first cabinet meeting since it agreed to change how it was run last month, he said protesters' actions were "not helping anyone", particularly local families and older people who "feel especially vulnerable about the late night noise and associated antisocial behaviour".

"They've been disturbed by your actions for too long, they want you to stop," he said.

"Go home and please allow the community some space."

A dispersal order has been put in place by Cheshire Police and extended to run until Friday.

The police investigation into the members of AROPL arrested in April continues and several of those involved have been issued interim anti-slavery and trafficking orders, which among other things ban them from entering Crewe.

Further people were arrested and later charged with public order offences linked to the raids in April, and there have also been subsequent arrests linked to protests around Webb House

Cheshire Police said the force received reports of fireworks being set off near to the front gate shortly after 22:00 BST on Tuesday.

It said there were no reports of any injuries and no arrests were made.

Ch Insp Matt Sanders, head of Crewe Local Policing Unit, said that while officers understood the right to protest peacefully, it was important to remember local residents also had the right to go about their daily business.

He said while the protests were expected to continue, he asked those involved to "remain peaceful and respect the local community".

Mannion's latest words echo those of local MP Connor Naismith last month, who said he supported people's right to peaceful protests but did not want to see these become violent.

He said he was also aware that the protests had attracted people from outside the area who had "sought to use this incident as an excuse for using fascist, neo-Nazi language and imagery".

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