Marches banned after day of banned protest

Home Secretary Theresa May today authorised a blanket ban on marches in a city on the day of a planned protest by a right-wing campaign group.

The English Defence League (EDL) had intended to demonstrate in Bradford on Saturday August 28 and Unite Against Fascism has planned a protest in the city on the same day.

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.