MPs demand banning of EDL march in Bradford

The controversial rally planned for Saturday, October 12 has been allowed by police to proceed.

But today MPs George Galloway and Gerry Sutcliffe asked West Yorkshire’s Police Commissioner and Chief Constable to reverse the decision.

Mr Galloway said: “The EDL are a scourge who seek to sow division and hatred wherever they go. Time and again, people from ethnic minorities, their places of worship, passers by and even the police have been subject to terrible abuse and even violence from the thugs who come on all their events.”

Bradford was the scene of skirmishes between EDL members, police and opponents at a similar rally three years ago.

Mr Galloway said: “Gerry Sutcliffe and I called on the Police Commissioner and the Chief Constable to ban them from Bradford when they announced they intended to come here. I am very disappointed this is not going to happen and instead the police are allowing them to gather behind City Hall.

“I am still calling on the police to change their decision on this. The last thing Bradford city centre needs is these people coming from outside Bradford to try and intimidate and abuse shoppers on a busy Saturday afternoon.”

West Yorkshire Police said in a statement: “We know that local people do not want their city to be used by the EDL and counter protest groups as a venue for demonstrations. We understand the concerns of local people and local businesses within our communities about what the protests could mean for them, their families, their businesses and the city itself.

We also understand that some people may have an expectation that the police or council should ban the demonstrations. We don’t have any legal powers to do this. We therefore have to plan for them in order to ensure public safety for everyone.”

Coun David Green, leader of Bradford Council, said: “The EDL’s agenda is abhorrent to the overwhelming majority of Bradfordians and we do not want them in our city or district. Such protests also cost taxpayers and city centre retailers many hundreds of thousands of pounds, through the public resources needed to manage them and lost business, but we don’t have any legal powers to ban them.

“We are therefore currently working with the Police, local organisations and businesses to minimise disruption in the city centre and ensure public safety.”

Mr Galloway, MP for Bradford West, said he would attend a “multicultural celebration” in the city centre at the same time.