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English Defence League march banned by Government after plea from police chiefs

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

20th August 2010

Home Secretary Theresa May has issued a blanket ban on marches by the far-right English Defence League in Bradford, following a request from the local council and police chiefs.

Up to 10,000 EDL supporters had intended to descend on Bradford over the bank holiday weekend in what was claimed would be a rally against Islamic extremism.

A Home Office spokesman said: 'Having carefully balanced rights to protest against the need to ensure local communities and property are protected, the Home Secretary today gave her consent to a Bradford Council order banning any marches in the city over the bank holiday weekend.

Protest: Members of the English Defence League protest in Stoke in January this year. A planned march for the bank holiday weekend has been banned

'West Yorkshire Police are committed to using their powers to ensure communities and property are protected and we encourage all local people to work with the police to ensure community cohesion is not undermined by public disorder.'

The decision by Bradford Council to seek a marching ban followed a formal request by West Yorkshire chief constable Sir Norman Bettison.

Sir Norman said he was taking the action after considering the 'understandable concerns of the community'.

The move follows a high-profile campaign in the city to stop the EDL march, with some commentators saying they feared it could provoke a violent reaction to rival the riots which shook the city nine years ago.

Despite the ban, groups could still hold static demonstrations in the city.

A 10,000-signature petition opposing the EDL march was handed in to the Home Office earlier this month.

In a letter to the council, crime prevention minister James Brokenshire said the Government 'fully understands local concerns that such a demonstration has the potential to spark public disorder and to impact on community cohesion, particularly given the disturbances in Bradford in 2001.'

Plea: West Yorkshire chief constable Sir Norman Bettison called on Theresa May to ban the August 28 EDL march, and she agreed

He wrote: 'The application from the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police is clear that the activities of some who attend English Defence League protests - and indeed counter protests - has little to do with freedom of expression.

'So while the Government has set out its commitment to restore rights to non-violent protest, we are equally clear that such rights do not extend to intimidation, harassment and criminality, and that rights to protest need to be balanced against the wider rights of local communities.

'Demonstrations should not and cannot be cover for violent, intimidating or criminal acts.

Community concerns: Men shout during a demonstration by the English Defence League in Birmingham in 2009

Clash: English Defence League members came face to face with Muslim protesters in Barking in May, as soldiers returned home from Afghanistan

'The Government condemns those who seek to create distrust and divisions between communities and remains determined to stamp out racism and extremism.'

Mr Brokenshire said the police had the power to impose conditions on the size, location and duration of a static protest if they believe it will result in serious public disorder.

In a statement explaining his request, Sir Norman issued a public plea to locals to support the police and 'avoid confrontation'.

But he also issued a stern warning that officers would not allow violent disorder.

The powers, granted under the 1986 Public Order Act, do not stop all protests - they are permitted as long as demonstrators do not attempt to march.

Sir Norman said: 'We will continue to try to talk to all those who plan to demonstrate and advise anyone intent on causing trouble to stay away.'

It is only the second time in the past three years that a police force has requested the powers.

The EDL's spokesman, Guramit Singh, yesterday denied the organisation intended violence. He said: 'We don't want ugly scenes at all.

We are coming for a peaceful demonstration.'

But critics have drawn comparisons between the rise of the EDL and that of 1930s fascism led by Oswald Mosley's Blackshirts.

The group was formed in Luton last year, in response to protests by Islamic radicals when troops returned home from Iraq.

Since then it has staged a number of rallies, many of which have ended in violence. Last month there were clashes between police and protesters at a demonstration in Dudley, the second in the West Midlands town this year.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1304803/Police-halt-English-Defence-League-march-riot-fears.html#ixzz0xB3h7Oh3