Met Police dragging feet not seeking EDL march ban in Whitechapel

Dear Ed... The reputation of the Metropolitan Police has fallen in the wake of the phone hacking scandals and the riots.

I don’t understand why they have been dragging their feet over recommending to the Home Secretary that the English Defence League march planned September 3 should be banned. This is undermining confidence in the police still further.

The EDL consists overwhelmingly of racists and fascists whose intent is to bring division, disorder and violence to our community in the East End.

This would be a disaster. It is our strong community relations that have ensured that Tower Hamlets has avoided the worst of the rioting in many areas earlier this month.

Tower Hamlets councillors unanimously voted for the EDL march being banned. I have profound differences with Tower Hamlets Tories over many issues, including the East London Mosque.

But I will be proudly linking arms with Peter Golds, the Tory group leader outside the East London Mosque on September 3 to defend it from the racist and fascist thugs of the EDL, if the Home Secretary fails to ban them.

The acting Met Police Commissioner must now do what he should already have done and call for the EDL march to be banned.

Even so, the law will still allow the EDL to have a ‘static’ right of assembly. But the police have the power to send EDL members packing if they suspect their purpose is to provoke public disorder —as it will be.

There is no place for the EDL in the East End. We call on the Met Police to do their duty by the community and ensure they do not come to Whitechapel on September 3.

Cllr Fozol Miah (Respect)

Tower Hamlets Council

Spitalfields ward

Town Hall

Blackwall