Two charged over 'violent' protest at religious HQ

Two men have been charged following disorder outside the headquarters of a religious group in Cheshire, police said.

Daniel Tsimbilakis, 34, and Jordan Kennerley, 42, were arrested on Sunday in the Victoria Avenue area of Crewe, near to the Webb House base of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL).

Tsimbilakis, of Barony Road, Nantwich, was charged with using threatening behaviour or words to cause alarm or distress. Kennerley, of Badger Avenue, Crewe, was charged with using violence to secure entry to a premises.

Both have been released on bail and are due to appear at Crewe Magistrates' Court on 23 June.

A 39-year-old man who was also arrested has been released on bail, while police said there would be no further action against a 34-year-old man who was arrested in relation to the incident on Sunday.

The latest incident follows weeks of protests in the area, after police raided three addresses in the town at the end of April following allegations of serious sexual offences, forced marriage and modern slavery among members of the religious group.

There have been growing tensions in the area since, with five people arrested during protests outside the property earlier in May.

Following the most recent protest on Sunday, a dispersal order was imposed, making it an offence for anyone to return to the area for up to 48 hours.

"While many people were peacefully protesting, several incidents of disorder and disruption were reported over the course of the day," a spokesperson for the force said on Sunday.

AROPL posted on Facebook to say its members had endured more than a month of "sustained hostile protests, including multiple reported assaults, attempted arson, trespassing, vandalism, racial abuse and hate speech."

They said Sunday's incident marked a "serious escalation" and video footage shared by the group showed people trying to force open the gates to the premises and throwing projectiles over the wall.

Webb House served as the official place of worship for members of AROPL, they said, adding that it was also the home of many of its members.

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