Police and council to make decision on demo ban
Police and council bosses will meet during the next 48 hours to decide whether or not to ban planned demonstrations by anti-extremist groups to avoid a repeat of disorder in the city centre last month.
The anti-Islamic Extremism group The English and Welsh Defence League is planning a demonstration in Birmingham City Centre on Saturday, September 5, and if it goes ahead anti-racists group Unite Against Fascism is expected to launch a counter-protest prompting fears of violence.
Clashes in the city centre earlier this month led to 35 arrests for alleged public order offences.
Birmingham’s equality chief Coun Alan Rudge has ordered a full risk assessment by all local authorities involved, including various council departments, police and emergency services, and said a meeting would be held today or tomorrow to decide whether or not protests could go ahead.
Although Coun Rudge “deplored” the demonstration by the English and Welsh Defence League, he has stopped short of calling for the demonstration to be banned – at least until the risk assessment is complete.
He said: “My own view is that I am against any march by extremist groups that just want to stir up trouble, whether they are left-wing or right-wing.
