EDL march cancelled by Police and Theresa May

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ot-fears.html#

EDL march cancelled by Police and Theresa May

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.

'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.'

Does anyone remember the planned marches by an islamic group through Wootton Bassett which the government showed no signs of preventing and it eventally was cancelled due to the group itself aborting the march? yes, didn't seem to apply to them but only to groups such as the EDL. The same goes for the UAF (United Against Facism, ironic really because they were the ones saying Nick Griffin should not be allowed on Question Time - so much for being against facism and for democracy). Anywho, then we had the previous Labour government banning Geert Wilders from entering the country to show his film Fitna, at the invitation of UKIP leader Lord Pearson - he was eventually allowed in second time around which was followed by islamic protesters outside parliament which i'll put in a video down below.

(The Geert Wilders incident and what occured only a few years back)


(Geert Wilders giving his views and the 'Islam will dominate the world' protesters)


(Islamic protesters threatening Islamic domination)

Our country has been for many years a country which allowed protests of many kinds because we believed in freedom and because our ancient laws guranteed that freedom. How can we allow politicians to treat one group in a certain way yet not treat other groups in that very way. I don't care whether your a communist, a socialist, a facist, a nazi, a islamic marcher, a left-wing group, a right-wing group - you should be guranteed the freedom to protest and march. At a time when this country has more CCTV than Communist China among other issues concerning accountability and democracy, how can we even call ourselves a free and democratic nation?

In my view if something isn't done to correct the balance and install fairness back, this will end in violence.

Thoughts?
What extent does freedom and democracy matter to you and what extent should it matter to us all?

[Minstrels]

It may be 'cancelled' but you can bet most will still turn up whether the police or whoever tell them not to. The only bloke they'll listen to is that one which got arrested the other month and stopped one I think in Leeds.

[Apolva]

Good.

Racist idiots.

[Robbie]

OLDHAM DIVISION! Ah, Oldham represent.

[Minstrels]

OLDHAM DIVISION! Ah, Oldham represent.

Which ones you? I'm going for the chubbster with the Gary Neville tash covered by the ginger bonnet.

[Rapidshare]

Shouldnt have been banned, but oh well

[Apple]

Good.

Racist idiots.

Racism is discrimination of someones race, the EDL are protesting against Islamic Extremists, 2 completely different things. :rolleyes:

I agree that they were wrong to stop it as we all have (are supposed to have anyway) freedom of speech.

[Catzsy]

Inciting racial hatred is a crime so the ban is legal as that is what their aim is. Simple as that. Your picture shows that perfectly. They masquerade as a non-violent, non-racist organisation and are just as bad as the islamic extremists Islam4UK who are also banned.

[Nemo]

I think its right that they stopped it, doesnt matter what they were protesting about, but if there was gonna be a lot of possible violence from both sides and unneeded trouble, then its right to stop it. Freedom of speech can be expressed in other ways that do not cause danger to everyone nearby and each other.

[Jordy]

In reference to Wootton Basset, the home secretary and PM said they would of backed any bans on the Islamic March through Wootton Basset, hence the reason it was abandoned. Haven't really got much else to say on the topic but I thought I'd clarify that.