UK police charge second man in soldier murder

Michael Adebolajo charged over death of Lee Rigby as anti-fascist protesters and far-right supporters rally in London

London Protests
The murder of Lee Rigby has led to far-right and anti-fascist demonstrations [Reuters]

British counter-terrorism police have charged a second man over the killing of Lee Rigby, a serving soldier who was hacked to death on a London street.

Michael Adebolajo, 28, was charged with murder on Saturday over the May 22 killing. He was also charged with the attempted murder of two police officers and with possession of a firearm, a 9.4mm revolver, with intent to cause others to believe that violence would be used.

Adebolajo was remanded in custody to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, police said in a statement.

Another suspect in the case, Michael Adebowale, 22, appeared at the same court on Thursday and was also charged with Rigby’s murder and possession of a firearm.

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Michael Adebolajo, 28, was also charged with the attempted murder of two police officers [AFP]

He was remanded in custody to appear at London’s Central Criminal Court, known as the Old Bailey, for a bail hearing on Monday.

A pre-trial hearing is scheduled at the Old Bailey for June 28.

Both men were shot by police at the scene of Rigby’s killing, a street in the southeast London neighbourhood of Woolwich, close to a UK army barracks.

They were then arrested and taken to London hospitals. Adebowale was discharged from hospital on Tuesday and Adebolajo on Friday.

A post-mortem examination multiple cuts and stab wounds to be the cause of Rigby’s death.

At the time of the attack, Prime Minister David Cameron called the act “a betrayal of Islam and of the Muslim communities who give so much to our country”, vowing that Britain would “never give in to terrorism in any of its forms”.

Police, politicians and religious leaders have appealed for calm and unity in the wake of the killing but there have been some street protests by small far-right groups.

Earlier on Saturday, police prevented about 150 protesters from the far-right British National Party from marching towards a much larger anti-fascist counter-demonstration near the Houses of Parliament in central London.

Police arrested protesters from the anti-fascist camp for refusing to remain within their designated penned area.

Source: Reuters