Home Secretary powerless to stop English Defence League protests in Midlands

Mar 28 2010 by Jonny Greatrex, Sunday Mercury

THE Home Secretary has admitted he is powerless to stop extremists who have wreaked havoc across the Midlands demonstrating in the region during Easter.

The English Defence League (EDL) plans to hold a rally this Saturday in Dudley to protest against plans for a new £18 million mosque .

Previous EDL marches, including ones in Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent and Nottingham, have erupted into violent clashes between rival groups, including United Against Fascism (UAF).

Shoppers have been left horrified as yobs took over their city centres and several arrests were made by police.

And Alan Johnson has condemned extremists whose aim it is to divide communities

Yet he said there are no laws available to allow him to halt the incendiary group from demonstrating next Saturday.

“The police can in certain circumstance apply to me to stop a march, a demonstration that is physically moving along,” Mr Johnson told the Sunday Mercury.