People demonstrate against a rally by the right-wing English Defence League (EDL), in London yesterday.
Evening Standard/London
Muslim leaders and politicians in London’s East End said they are “fed up” but “united” as they led a protest to counter a controversial march by the far-right English Defence League (EDL) being held on their doorstep.
By lunchtime thousands of people had gathered at the Altab Ali Park in Aldgate East, east London. They had walked past the closed roads and heavy uniformed police security lining the streets a stone’s throw away from the East London Mosque & London Muslim Centre (ELM).
The park is in the east London borough of Tower Hamlets, home to one of Britain’s largest Muslim populations.
Messages in the mosque relayed after prayers said the numbers of Muslims at the park “were in small numbers” as many people had decided not come out. It assured them that it was a safe and peaceful rally watched by a large number of police and that they would be welcome to show that “we cannot live with hatred”.
At the same time the EDL, who had wanted to demonstrate in the heart of Tower Hamlets, began a restricted march under close watch by the police.
They lost a High Court battle over where they are allowed to demonstrate. The Metropolitan Police had allowed it to protest but with strict conditions that meant any march would be held at the outskirts of the borough and close to Tower Bridge.
Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman and John Biggs, a local Labour London Assembly member, were among the campaigners who listened to speeches at the Altab Ali park which is named after an Asian garment worker who was killed in a race attack in May 1978.
Rahman admitted that he was “very fed up” with having to deal with these demonstrations saying: “We just want to get on with our normal lives.”
He said: “We are celebrating peace and tranquility. We are not espousing violence. The people who want to talk about violence and inflict violence and hate on others can just go back to their nests and their holes.
He said: “Tower Hamlets is a vibrant and diverse borough which I am proud to call home. Like many other areas of our country, there are problems such as unemployment and poverty but the EDL blame “others” for our country’s problems in an attempt to divide us”.
ELM assistant executive director Shaynul Khan said the announcement of the EDL march had shot “a feeling of fear” among the community. Many people, including local traders who would normally be working on a busy Saturday in the current economic climate, had “preferred to stay at home rather than risk anything happening” to them, he claimed.
EDL leaders had wanted to rally in an area in Tower Hamlets which they say is “subject to Shariah law”, but Judge Justice King on Friday ruled that a police decision to impose restrictions over fears of “serious public disorder” was reasonable and proportionate.
Police said the route of the march — which must take place between midday and 3pm — would include Queen Elizabeth Street, Tower Bridge Road, Tower Bridge Approach, The Minories and then into Aldgate High Street. Organisers have been told they must not to go beyond the junction with Mansell Street.
Scotland Yard said senior officers had decided to stop the march a third of a mile short of its intended destination in the hope of preventing “serious” disorder. Police lawyers told the High Court hearing that people taking part in EDL marches could be “unreasonably” provocative.
They said between 1,000 and 2,000 people would take part in the EDL march and “several thousand” in counter demonstrations by groups including Unite Against Fascism.