内容摘要：The charity's senior policy officer, Sheffield-based Monica Scigliano, said: “While these changes help make it safer for people cycling, unless they’re part of a comprehensive, joined-up network of safe cycle lanes, we won’t see a surge in people getting on their bikes.

The charity's senior policy officer, Sheffield-based Monica Scigliano, said: “While these changes help make it safer for people cycling, unless they’re part of a comprehensive, joined-up network of safe cycle lanes, we won’t see a surge in people getting on their bikes.

Earlier in the day the protests were largely peaceful but Staffordshire Police said a number of demonstrators had been dispersed by officers during the day and a large-scale policing operation remained in place six hours on.A Section 34 dispersal notice was also authorised allowing police to disperse people who might return to the area.

Misinformation had been common on several social media platforms during the day and in an evening update the force said claims of two stabbings were "false".It said no stabbings were reported to police "despite videos fuelling speculation on social media".One in particular, which showed a man being treated for an injury to his head, "fuelled the speculation", a spokesperson added.

"We would like to reiterate that two men involved in the incident were hit with a blunt object that was thrown in the air," they said and added their injuries were not thought to be serious.Islamophobic chants could be heard on some video footage while others showed officers coming under fire from missiles.

Members of the North Staffordshire Campaign Against Racism staged a counter-protest.

One of them, Sarah Breene-Crum, said: "It's an insult to the families that have lost their children, the way that the far-right have behaved over the last few days."Mr Carruthers replied he had "no clue at all", adding: "It wasn't me."

He said he thought it was "just a tree" but then, the morning after it was felled, started seeing news reports and public comments appearing "more and more" on social media.The prosecutor suggested that was what was at the "heart" of the case.

"You thought 'it's just a tree'."When the rest of the world didn't think it was just a tree, that it was a terrible and wicked thing to have done, you have lost your bottle and can't own up to it?"