Trouble Erupts in Birmingham City Centre

We'd been expecting it all week (see coverage on The Stirrer) and today trouble did indeed erupt in Birmingham City Centre.

Details are sketchy at present and currently only reported via Twitter. My thanks to @adambc82 who let me reproduce his photo here, taken from his city centre apartment. He tweeted "Riots in Birmingham City Centre, right outside my flat. Smashed windows, bottles flying, riot police everywhere. No idea what's going on."

It would appear the violence is in response to today's planned anti-Islamic extremism protest in the city centre. This was a follow-up to the events of 4th July which I've blogged about previously (the videos are worth watching. I'm told a counter anti-fascism protest was also held earlier today. Exactly who was involved or why things escalated is not clear at present.

I'm told from numerous sources things have calmed down now, but I can still hear the police helicopters watching over the city. More when I know it.

UPDATE 1:
Video of riots - this does not look good

UPDATE 2:
Video of protest earlier in the day

UPDATE 3:
Mainstream press start reporting - Birmingham Post and Daily Mail - both with disturbing images

UPDATE 4:
The story hit the BBC amongst others on Sunday. All reports seem to indicate the police handled the situation well. There were 33 arrests and 2 injuries.