Scuffles amid rival soldier death protests in UK

Riot police on the scene where demonstrators were staging a sit-in to prevent the uprooting of trees at an Istanbul park, in Ankara, Turkey, early Saturday, June 1, 2013. Turkey’s government on Saturday appeared to be trying to placate demonstrators on the second day of anti-government demonstrations, even as police let off more tear gas and pressurized water against protesters trying to reach a main square in Istanbul or the Parliament building in the capital, Ankara. The protests grew out of anger at heavy-handed police tactics to break up a peaceful sit-in by people trying to protect a park in Istanbul’s main Taksim square on Friday. AP

LONDON — Far-right groups and anti-fascists are holding rival demonstrations marking the killing of British soldier Lee Rigby 10 days ago.

Police kept several hundred right-wing British National Party supporters apart from a larger group of anti-racist demonstrators outside Parliament Saturday after the two sides traded insults and occasional blows.

Police have reported a rise in anti-Muslim incidents since Rigby was hacked to death in a London street May 22 by two men espousing militant Islam.

Rigby’s family released a plea for peace, saying “Lee would not want people to use his name as an excuse to carry out attacks against others.”

Two suspects in the killing were shot by police and are in custody following hospital treatment. Michael Adebowale, 22, was charged with murder, while 28-year-old Michael Adebolajo is being questioned.