EDL march set for ban following police decision

Thursday, 25 August 2011 2:23 PM

By Ian Dunt Follow @IanDunt

An EDL march tabled for next weekend looks set to be banned after the police made an application to the home secretary.

Residents of ethnically diverse Tower Hamlets had petitioned police to ban the march, especially after riots devastated many of London's communities earlier this month.

The home secretary can only ban marches following a police request. Theresa May is highly unlikely to turn down the request, given the political pressures around law and order in the capital.

"I am glad the police have decided to ban the EDL marching on the 3rd September. It is the right decision to protect and preserve our multicultural and peaceful community in Tower Hamlets," Lutfur Rahman, Tower Hamlets mayor, said.

"Together, we will continue to reject any attempts to divide our community and will celebrate the diversity that makes our borough great."

Civil liberties campaigners and far-right activists are likely to be uncomfortable with the move, however.

With tensions high in the wake of the riots, the march was considered a provocative attempt by the far-right to create division in London's multi-cultural communities.

The English Defence League are a group of far-right campaigners, mostly from a football supporter background, with a particular focus on Islam.
 

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