They came, they protested and, happily, left the town in peace

BY LUI STRACCIA

Luton was a town left greatly relieved yesterday after the English Defence League’s ‘homecoming’ protest went off without the much feared violence.

Despite thousands of protesters lining the town centre streets, masses of police officers enforced a cordon which prevented either the EDL members or counter protesters, Unite Against Fascism, from even seeing each other.

The £800,000 police presence was the largest ever witnessed in the town, with officers drafted in from the City of London and Metropolitan forces and dozens on horseback or with police dogs.

The force helicopter was an ever present eye in the sky, while road closures ensured the town centre was totally locked down.

EDL members flocked from all over the country and further, from places such as Bradford, Leeds, Gateshead, Aberdeen, East Anglia, South Essex, Glasgow, Germany, Sweden and Norway.

They carried placards saying: ‘Welcome to Luton - the birthplace of the EDL’, ‘Shut Down The Mosque Command and Control Centres’ and ‘No Sharia Law’.

Some waved flags representing the Union Jack, the St George’s Cross, the Army and the Three Lions.

But although there were no scenes of violence, some are concerned about the damage done to community cohesion.

Labour Euro MP Richard Howitt, who delivered a speech for the UAF protesters, said: “I’m thankful as there was no serious damage or injury but there remains lasting damage to good community relations in Luton and we’ll have to rebuild the trust and security that the EDL has deliberately sought to undermine.” In his speech, Mr Howitt said: “We represent the peace loving majority in Luton.

“The EDL say this is their homecoming, but Luton has never been home to their ideas, loathing and prejudice.” EDL founder Tommy Robinson, was caught in a crush in a crowd leaving the square but was not injured.

He gave a speech, saying: “We don’t want a mosque in High Town.

“We’re making a stand. We’re the only country in the world doing this. This is a democracy and we want to stop the building of mosques.

“We also respect Bedfordshire Police, which allowed us to march.” EDL member Kevin Carroll, from Luton, also spoke, saying: “We’ll never submit to Sharia Law. They’ll never reign over us.

“We will never tolerate extremists. That is our town hall over there, Luton Borough Council.

“Luton in Harmony, we don’t need to be told Luton is in harmony.

Luton was always in harmony until we let people become radicalised.” As they marched from High Town to the town centre, the EDL chanted and were generally peaceful apart from a couple of firecrackers callously thrown at police horses and a handful of bottles lobbed in the direction of riot gearclad officers.

There were reports that the Railway Tavern, on High Town Road, ran out of draught beer as EDL members had crammed into the pub before setting off on their march. They had begun gathering in the area at around 10am.

Later in the morning a minibus was stopped on the M1 and searched, resulting in one arrest for possession of cannabis.

Officers confiscated a bat and the offender was bailed.

By the time the protesters had arrived at St George’s Square at around 1.30pm, all alcoholic premises had closed.

At around 1pm police did have to deal with some UAF protesters wanting to enter Bury Park. Half an hour earlier, a rally was started with speeches given by local dignitaries.

Road closures in the town centre and Bury Park were lifted at around 5pm after most protesters had left the town centre, leaving the clean-up operation to get under way and Luton’s residents breathing easily.