Pub-goer battered by masked gang waving Palestine flags claims he was trying to BACK protesters when he was attacked
A PUB-goer battered by a masked gang waving Palestine flags has claimed he was trying to back the protesters when he was attacked.
Sean McDonagh, 52, was filmed being kicked under a table by demonstrators when he came face-to-face with the group outside The Clumsy Swan in Birmingham.
The carpenter has faced claims he brought on the attack by goading the gang as the Yardley area teetered on the edge of race clashes.
But Mr McDonagh has hit back and insisted he went outside to shout “good on yer” to the tense crowd.
The self-employed tradesman says he now feels “under threat” after being depicted opposing the mob – and has already been “confronted” although he gave no further details.
The white van man told The Sun: “I’ve got no idea why they are saying I goaded them.
“The truth is everyone in that pub knew the crowd was coming.
“They locked the doors to keep us in, but I wasn’t having that.
“I just went outside to say ‘good on yer’ to show there should be no divisions.”
He added: “I just wanted to leave the pub and get on the bus. I’ve done nothing wrong with no-one, I was just acting peacefully.”
Mr McDonagh is continuing to receive medical support today after previously saying he had suffered a lacerated liver.
Despite the injury he was out drinking with pals until midnight on Tuesday.
Staff at the pub have now barred him, however. Mr McDonagh has challenged the situation, claiming there is “no need for it”.
He added: “I just want to set the record straight. I’m under threat now. I’ve already had threats. I just want it to go away.”
The pub was surrounded by a group gathered to keep the Muslim community safe from a rumoured far-right rally, which was said to be taking place in the pub.
False social media posts had reported that EDL members were drinking in there.
Linda Ward, 60, of the Clumsy Swan pub in Yardley, said previously said Mr McDonagh’s actions had endangered everyone in the pub and could have sparked something far worse.
The assistant manager said: “I have barred him from the pub because none of this would have happened if he hadn’t gone out there. He put everyone in the pub in danger.”
After the brawl members of the local Muslim community visited the pub to apologise and shake hands with punters.
Community leader Naveed Sadiq told the Birmingham Mail: “The Clumsy Swan pub is very close to my heart.
“I only live round the corner. This place has never brought me or my family any discomfort.
“I can only say to the management here and the customers we are very very sorry for what’s happened here today.
“As many of you have seen, that is not a true reflection of who we are as a community.”
Mr Sadiq was filmed personally apologising to a wheelchair user who had been in the pub.
He said: “You were in the pub, it must have been horrifying, but again I wish to apologise on our behalf.”
But the man said: “You don’t have to apologise for everybody, it is only a small minority on everybody’s side.
“You don’t have to apologise for the people that are bad, like I don’t have to apologise for the idiots.”
Mr Sadiq shook the man’s hand and said: “Hopefully we can put this behind us as a bad experience.
“This is a message going out to people who are coming out to protest, brothers, if your intention is not clear, stay at home.”