Political leaders still at odds over EDL presence
Two political leaders are continuing to clash over the decision to allow the English Defence League to march in Leicester.
Former council leader Councillor Ross Willmott has repeated his criticisms of city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby's handling of the group's protest on Saturday – even though police said it had passed without significant disorder.
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Councillor Willmott said the EDL should have been restricted to holding a "static" protest outside the city centre.
Sir Peter and senior police allocated a march route to the EDL and a separate route for its opponents, led by Unite Against Fascism.
As a result, there was no repeat of the serious disorder which spread across the city centre when the EDL staged a demonstration in October 2010.
However, the city centre was much quieter than usual, while several shops and Leicester Market shut for the day.
Coun Willmott said: "It was absolutely the wrong decision to allow the EDL to march in the city centre.
"If they had been confined to St Margaret's Pastures there would have been no disruption at all."
Speaking to the Leicester Mercury on Saturday, Sir Peter Soulsby defended his handling of the protests.
He said: "Allowing the march to go ahead was clearly the right call.
"When the EDL came to Leicester in 2010, the city centre was effectively shut down as a result.
"This time around there has been far less disruption and the entire march has been kept under tight control by the police.
"Of course, having the EDL march through our city wasn't desirable, and, of course, we didn't want it.
"But my biggest concern was making sure the people of the city faced the least disruption possible, and were kept safe."
Coun Willmott was also critical of police who escorted anti-EDL protesters away from the Clock Tower after several verbal warnings.
Police had earlier warned that protesters would be legally required to stick to the two allocated routes to prevent clashes.
Officers, including some on horseback, escorted the group to the official UAF protest starting point, outside the city council's New Walk Centre in King Street.
Coun Willmott said: "We were not a threat to public order, we were simply peaceful local people who wanted to show the EDL they were not welcome."
A Leicestershire police spokeswoman said: "To ensure everything ran smoothly, the chief constable imposed conditions under section 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act, which included designated assembly points for those wishing to take part on the day.
"Those conditions applied to everyone wanting to protest and were circulated widely. Policing two protests by opposing groups was always going to be challenging.
"However, the force has been inundated by messages of thanks and support from the community."
19 Comments
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by DonHenson
Thursday, February 09 2012, 4:39AM
“Wilmott has yet to accept that he was not the favourite of the local party.
He certainly seems out to get SPS ousted.”
by Anthony1944
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 6:59PM
“They have been and gone, Don't these two plonkers have anything better to do, Like ruining a city, Whoops did I say that, should be running, or should it?”
by tazzyboy1
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 6:52PM
“With sad act Ross Willmott playing the king gobsh**e on saturday you can only assume that a village somewhere was missing it's idiot!!”
by RuralOutBack
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 2:34PM
“I am afraid Ross Willmott has totally lost the plot and thank goodness he no longer leads the City Council. He was a the front of the UAF demostration along with other City elected members and an MP, as reports say Willmott was promoting trouble. As an elected member surely he has broken the code of conduct in a number of areas and should be reported to the City Council standards board.”
by IncredibleD
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 1:56PM
“Wilmott et al should be made aware that most people defending the EDL are doing so at the moment, not because they agree with the EDL but because the trouble that threatened to erupt was due to the UAF (and a few local youths who are clearly misguided fools...you get them everywhere and can not really do much about that, whilst there are claims they were muslims, personally I witness some sikh gentleman trying to cause trouble, you can guarantee you'd get non muslim youths trying to cause trouble if there were a muslim march for some reason).
The Police did a fantastic job of maintaining peace and order, a job that would have been easier if the EDL were allowed to march unprotested, by this I mean we can moan as much as we like but just without the UAFs stupid counter productive protest. We all know that this event was given more coverage becaue of the UAF. Furthermore it was reported that a protest group would ignore the polices order...had that been the EDL the headline would have been EDL to ignore police.
It pains me to support SPS but compared to Wilmott..well enough said.”
by Red_Ned
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 1:36PM
“This is just a bit of silly muckraking from the Mercury. Most people in Leicester have now forgotten the EDL were even here on saturday.
Having said that, tt does appear that the police tactics and SPS's view have been vindicated, but I think this was, at least in part, because the EDL could only muster 700/800 people compared with 2000 the first time around? Certainly must have made it easier for the EDL and the police to control them.
Let's hope this decline continues and the next time they come it's "Tommy Robinson" and a couple of his mates. In which case I say let them march where they like!”
by Hamilton_Paul
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 1:13PM
“As with other comments on this site, I have to agree that SPS was correct.
By allowing the march he does not allow the EDL to be classed as victims and to claim there freedom of speech was not allowed.
Willmott should move on and should release they he is not wanted as mayor of Leicester.”
by Toddy2010
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 12:59PM
“djh, this is a privately owned website whose comments section are public. You therefore, do not have a right to free speech on them, you can only say what the owners of the site will allow you to say.
You have a right to free speech on the street but this is not a street, it is a privately owned website.
That's just the way it is.”
by handymanphil
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 12:11PM
“I never thought I'd be saying this but on this very rare occasion SPS was absolutely right-DEMOCRACY must prevail, even though his political party have all but killed our freedoms in this country. My son was in town with his fiance on saturday and he reported that the only 'grief' was coming from a very confrontational UAF!”
by tqzek
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 12:08PM
“Former council leader Councillor Ross Willmott
I would like to say that you are NOT the leader of the council ?
And with your comments! Trying to whip up this fair town of leicester .
From what I seen on saturday 4/2/2012. was disgraceful .
with you in the front line (shouting at the demo )
Trying to
start trouble but you did not get it. & was it not
the council who closed down leicester for the day !
For the last 4 weeks all its been
is the UAF / EDL . Everywhere ?
To me it look's like you are very upset as there was no trouble !
So please put your toys back in your pram & get over it.”