"He was the first to do this and to kick the door."
Haris Ghaffar was jailed for 20 months for trying to storm a Birmingham pub during an anti-English Defence League protest.
As one man was attacked by marchers in the smoking area of The Clumsy Swan in Yardley, Ghaffar was seen breaking away from the group and trying to kick in a wooden door.
Birmingham Crown Court heard that staff and customers inside the venue had barricaded the entrances.
Ghaffar, who was wearing a balaclava, then walked into a shop and bought a drink.
The 19-year-old was identified on CCTV and arrested later that day.
Prosecutor Mark Phillips said the incident occurred “against the background of civil unrest”.
On August 5, 2024, a protest took place in Bordesley Green in response to false rumours that the EDL were going to be in the area.
The gathering started at around 4 pm in Daniels Road and moved on to Belchers Lane.
CCTV showed that many were wearing face coverings while some were believed to be armed with weapons.
There were also reports of cars being driven dangerously, a Sky News van being attacked and a motorist being attacked.
At around 8 pm, protesters marched near The Clumsy Swan, prompting the assistant manager to lock the doors and ask customers to fetch stools from the smoking area inside.
But one customer opened the doors and started to act “aggressively”.
A group then retaliated and attacked him.
Mr Phillips said: “The defendant was not directly involved in that attack. What he did was just after the attack or while it was going on.
“Other customers started to kick the windows in the pub. The defendant went to an adjacent wooden door. He was the first to do this and to kick the door.
“The prosecution say in doing so because he was the first he in fact encouraged others to do so. And so they did.
“A number of others, run at the door, some taking flying kicks at the door.
“Inside the pub members of staff and customers were trying to barricade the door to stop people getting in. They were trying to brace it with furniture.”
In a statement, the pub’s assistant manager called the incident “scary” and that staff were “shaken up”.
After his arrest, Ghaffar claimed he believed people associated with the EDL were inside the Birmingham pub at the time.
Jonathan Barker, defending, said: “He had just turned 19 and got swept up in the emotions that were high particularly that day.
“Without thinking he made the decision to kick the public house on four or five occasions.”
He said Ghaffar had expressed remorse and the incident was out of character.
Judge Melbourne Inman KC said: “I accept there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.
“Equally important is the understanding that for this type of civil disorder it is quite clear the only appropriate punishment can be achieved by immediate imprisonment.
“It must be made clear to everyone this type of civil disorder will result in prison sentences and the court has a duty to ensure it does all it can to protect the public against this type of disorder and violence.”
Ghaffar admitted violent disorder and was jailed for 20 months.
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