Woman photographed at EDL protest 'surprised' at reaction

A woman captured on camera smiling at an English Defence League (EDL) protester says she is surprised at the reaction the photo has received.

The image of Saffiyah Khan staring down Ian Crossland, the leader of the far-right group, during a protest in Birmingham has been shared thousands of times on social media.

Khan told the BBC she intervened to protect a Muslim woman wearing a hijab who was being verbally abused.

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"I don't like seeing people getting ganged up on in my town," she said.

"[Crossland] put his finger in my face," added Khan, who was born in the UK and is of mixed Bosnian and Pakistani descent. "It was very aggressive."

The image, captured by Press Association photographer Joe Giddens, has been widely shared by celebrities and politicians on Twitter.

"Who looks like they have power here, the real Brummy on the left or the EDL who migrated for the day to our city and failed to assimilate," wrote Jess Phillips, Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley.

Khan said she was "quite surprised" the image had elicited such a response from people.

Around 100 people attended the EDL demonstration, which was held in response to the Westminster terror attack, The Guardian reports. The protest was condemned by Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative leaders of Birmingham city council.

Birmingham Central Mosque responded to the march by hosting a "Best of British" tea party for the public, complete with Union flag bunting and Victoria sponge, the paper adds.