Trouble flared as an English Defence League (EDL) march was led through South Shields.

About 250 members of the right-group were protesting in the town today. A heavy police presence led the march from Mile End Road through Fowler Street to Beach Road and down Sea Road before being marshalled into an area outside South Marine Park.

When the march reached Pier parade it was met by a rally of about 100 anti-fascist protesters who had gathered at the junction of Ocean Road and Lawe Road. At least one person was arrested after emerging from the trees in North Marine Park and running towards the anti-fascist rally. The rest remained behind a police cordon at the Wouldhave Memorial.

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MPs are demanding a ban on a march through one of London’s most multicultural areas by the far-right English Defence League.

In a letter to the Home Office and the Metropolitan Police, seen by Channel 4 News, both of the MPs representing the Tower Hamlets borough of east London called the anti-Muslim group’s march, which is planned for Saturday 7 September, a “deplorable hate preaching tactic which we have seen result in serious violence multiple times before”.

Writing to Police Minister Damian Green on 23 August, Rushanara Ali and Jim Fitzpatrick, Labour MPs for Bethnal Green and Bow and Poplar and Limehouse, added: “It is our firm belief that this march…[poses] a serious threat to both individuals and wider Tower Hamlets community cohesion.”

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“Not in our backyard!” That was the overwhelming view of the people the Gazette questioned over today’s march through South Shields by right-wing extremists.

Members of North East Infidels (NEI) and the English Defence League (EDL) were parading from the town’s Fowler Street to Pier Parade, where a rally was being staged. They were to be met by representatives of the newly-formed South Tyneside Unites Against Fascism (STUAF), a group set up specifically in response to the rally.

Concerns have been raised that the rival demonstrations are a “recipe for trouble”. Last night Northumbria’s crime commissioner Vera Baird and town MP Emma Lewell-Buck were meeting members of the local community to allay fears.

Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Ian Dawes, of South Shields police, has pledged that “public safety is our absolute priority”, adding: “Our aim at all times is to facilitate these events and ensure they pass off peacefully with the minimum of disruption.” The exact cost of policing the rally and counter-demo is not known – but it won’t come cheap.

Some believe that in a democracy everyone should have a right to express their views – no matter how disagreeable those opinions may be. But on the streets of King Street, South Shields, we found little support for that stance.

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Legal action has been threatened in a bid to challenge the Metropolitan Police’s failure to ban far right group the English Defence League (EDL) from marching through east London next weekend. Tower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman’s office tonight confirmed the last ditch attempt to stop the march from going ahead as planned next Saturday (September 7).

Mayor Lutfur Rahman said: “I’m deeply disappointed that the police and the home secretary have failed to act, despite my formally requesting them to do so. Clearly they are not on the same page as the scores of prominent national and local figures who joined me in calling for a ban. I call upon them to see sense, but in the absence of an adequate response I intend to take this matter to the High Court.”

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The anti-racist educational charity Show Racism the Red Card has interviewed Daniel Trilling, assistant editor of the New Statesman and author of Bloody Nasty People: The Rise of Britain’s Far Right.

The interview has been published in three parts (the first two can be read here and here) and in the third part (here) Trilling addresses the issue of Islamophobia:

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Scotland Yard is in negotiations with far right group the English Defence League (EDL) and opposition campaigners amid calls for a ban on next weekend’s planned demonstration. The Met said plans for how to police the march, due to take place next Saturday (September 7) are still in their “formative stages”.

Dozens of community leaders, MPs and faith groups signed a letter to home secretary Theresa May this month calling for a ban on the event. But a Scotland Yard spokesman said: “Some negotiations are ongoing with the organisers, and with those people opposed to it.” A final decision on the demonstration is due to be taken early next week, he added. If the Met decides to ban the march, Scotland Yard must apply to the Home Office for approval.

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An anti-fascist group has announced plans for a counter-demonstration against a march by right-wing extremists in South Shields this weekend.

Members of North East Infidels (NEI) and the English Defence League (EDL) are to parade on Saturday from the town’s Fowler Street to Pier Parade, where a rally is to be staged.

Now it has emerged they will be met there by representatives of newly-formed South Tyneside Unites Against Fascism (STUAF), a group set up specifically in response to the rally. Their members are made up of local people, trade unionists and political groups and organisations opposed to fascism, racism and Islamophobia.

The counter-protesters, supported by South Tyneside Trade Union Council, and including members of Unite and Unison, will hold up placards and express their views through megaphones in what organisers say will be a “peaceful and orderly counter-demonstration”.

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Tower Hamlets protests against the English Defence League in September 2011 – where was John Biggs?

A family barbecue has been organised by Labour politicians for the same day as far right group the English Defence League (EDL) plans to march through the East End.

Tower Hamlets Labour Party’s annual summer barbecue is due to go ahead in Bethnal Green on September 7. But the plan has been met with accusations that Labour’s mayoral candidate John Biggs is prioritising a day in the sun over standing up to far right ideology.

Tower Hamlets Council’s Independent cabinet member for resources, Cllr Alibor Choudhury said: “While a diverse community coalition gathers to show the EDL that Tower Hamlets is no place for hate, John Biggs and his Labour chums will be letting their hair down over nibbles. I’m a big fan of democracy but I’m not sure you can for fight for it with canapés and cocktail sausages.”

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Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman has a piece in The Wharf explaining his call for a ban on the EDL’s proposed demonstration in the borough.

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