So how did the protests - starting in Southport and spreading to London, Hartlepool, Manchester and Aldershot - begin? Merseyside Police have publicly identified the English Defence League (EDL) as a key factor. While there are people who describe themselves as EDL supporters, the organisation ceased to exist in any formal sense after its founder, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon - who uses the alias Tommy Robinson - focused on spreading his message on social media platforms, where he has a sizeable following. But its core ideas - in particular an opposition to illegal immigration, mixed with indiscriminate and racist claims about Muslims...