Police want to speak to 26 men after Tommy Robinson rally in Limeside

This morning warrants have been carried out at 14 properties across Oldham and Crumpsall as well as a property in West Yorkshire.

Thirteen men, aged between 15 and 40, have been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.

The arrests are part of a long-running investigation into the serious public disorder on Saturday, May 18, 2019, in the Limeside area of Oldham.

Videos at the time showed the Tommy Robinson rally descend into chaos, with clashes between supporters of the far right activist, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, and counter-demonstrators — a group named the Muslim Defence League.

Eggs, bricks, bottles and other objects were thrown and police cars damaged. Riot police, armed with batons and shields, attempted to keep the crowds separate.

Angry scenes at the Tommy Robinson rally

Police enquiries are ongoing as part of the investigation into the disorder, which has been labelled Operation Woodville.

Chief Superintendent Neil Evans, of Greater Manchester Police’s Territorial Commander with responsibility for Oldham, said: “As the scale of this morning’s operation demonstrates, we continue to treat May’s disturbance with the upmost seriousness.

“We have been in liaison with the Crown Prosecution Service since the early stages of the investigation and a team of detectives has been working to identify those whose criminal behaviour resulted in the ugly scenes witnessed.

“Investigators have been working alongside key local partners as part of our extensive enquiries. Specialist detectives from our Major Investigations Team as well as local officers have been involved in hours of work assessing evidence and information received from the public.

“While we have made a number of arrests, our enquiries remain very much ongoing.

“In conjunction with this morning’s positive action, we have released a number of images of people who we want to speak to concerning their actions on May 18, 2019.

“As we have previously said, we understand and respect the right to peaceful protest and counter-protest. However we will not tolerate it when this crosses into criminal behaviour.

“Accordingly, we can and will respond when that line is crossed.

“It remains a line of enquiry that a number of those who were involved with the disorder had travelled to Oldham from outside Greater Manchester.

“As such, we are continuing to liaise with our partners in neighbouring forces.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank those who have already been in touch with officers.

“We must continue to work together as a community and support the justice process so that criminal behaviour is appropriately and proportionately challenged.”

Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 6551 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.