Council calls for Home Secretary support in banning EDL march

Luton Borough Council has written to the Home Secretary calling for a ban on a planned rally and march by the English Defence League next month, claiming that the risk of serious disorder is real.

The letter – signed by the leaders of the three main political parties in Luton – warned that the rally and march had compounded the widespread and negative media coverage of the town following the actions of the so-called “Stockholm bomber”.

This is “something that has caused deep dismay and anxiety among the wider community in Luton – of whatever background, faith or outlook”, it added.

The letter asked Theresa May for her support in the event that Bedfordshire Police and the council decide to formally request a banning order on the EDL, including any proposed counter marches or protests.

“Such an order, if sought and imposed, would prohibit the EDL from marching/processing through the town and would send a strong signal to the diverse community of Luton that the preservation of strong community cohesion is of paramount importance,” the letter said.

The council acknowledged that a banning order on the EDL and counter demonstrators would not prohibit them from holding a static demonstration. However, it said a march would be “provocative and not conducive to the public good at this time and would risk serious disorder”.

Intelligence received by the police and the council suggested that the proposed march has also generated significant plans for “visible and voluble” counter-protests by other groups. These include organised groups such as Unite against Fascism, “but also groups associated with the recent student protests in central London and potentially other groups associated with the defence of Islam from perceived threats”.

“We cannot rule out also the possibility that local Asian youths and others may also wish to counter-protest, which could create real issues for cohesion both on the day and after the 5th February itself,” Luton added.

The council said that, alongside Bedfordshire Police, it continued to monitor the situation with regard to the EDL very carefully. “Highly provocative remarks have been made by senior EDL members in recent weeks,” it argued. “These are now featured on YouTube and are being accessed and passed around – not only among the EDL, but among other communities, thereby increasing tensions to a significant degree. The risk of disorder is real – and it is for that reason that we feel inclined to write to you in this matter.”

The council said it accepted that a case for a banning order might be frustrated in law, but warned that the issues raised by the various protagonists were of national origin and importance, with Luton simply being the venue for events on 5 February.

It called for urgent consideration of the matter at a national, non-partisan level. “Moreover, your intervention now could stop a similar scenario, with concomitant impact on communities, business and the public purse, from playing out in other towns and cities,” the council told the Home Secretary.

Luton, which said it had consulted widely on the issue, also highlighted the very significant financial cost that would be incurred in policing a potential EDL procession and counter-protests – “a cost that public agencies will have to bear at what is already a very difficult time”.

The council reiterated its view that the potential attendance of Pastor Terry Jones “is not conducive to community cohesion at a sensitive time for the town”.

“We hope very strongly that you will agree to prohibit his entry into the UK so that he cannot participate in any way in any event or action either directly or indirectly associated with the EDL event in our town on that date.”