The English Defence League (EDL) held a demonstration in Leicester city centre on Saturday 4th February 2012. Leicester Unite Against Fascism (LUAF) also held a counter-demonstration.
Leicester City Council worked closely with Leicestershire Police on plans to ensure the demonstrations passed off peacefully and with the minimum of disruption to the city.
Read the joint press release from Leicestershire Police and ourselves on our News website.
Updates on Saturday 4th February
Leicester City Council and Leicestershire Police used Twitter to keep people updated on events on Saturday 4th at:
Details of the routes
EDL route
The EDL began their march at St Margaret’s8217;s Pastures. They then walked along St Margaret’s8217;s Way, onto Burleys Way, turning right onto Abbey Street, right again onto Belgrave Gate before heading down Churchgate and back towards St Margaret’s8217;s Pastures.
LUAF route
Leicester UAF began their march on Welford Place, heading along Pocklingtons Walk and right into Millstone Lane, leading onto Horsefair Street and Halford Street. They then turned right for a short distance on Charles Street before heading right along Belvoir Street and back to Welford Place.
Timing of the marches
Both groups were asked to arrive at their assembly points from 11am. The marches began at around 12.30pm.
Managing the protests
To help ensure everything ran smoothly on Saturday, Leicestershire Police used section 12 and section 14 of the Public Order Act to impose conditions on both protest groups. These stipulated the timings of the marches and the designated assembly points.
Both groups were informed that there was no provision for static assembly on their march routes but that they could hold a static demonstration at the finish point for a limited period of time.
Any person who failed to comply with the conditions would have been guilty of an offence for which they could have been arrested.
Leicester City Council and Leicestershire Police took on board feedback from local people and businesses after the last EDL demonstration in October 2010, when many people thought that access to alcohol contributed to the disorder that took place on that day.
To prevent a repeat of this, Leicestershire Police asked licensed premises not to open between 8am and 1pm on February 4th.
Police conditions for the protests
Leicestershire Police placed a number of conditions on the demonstrators to minimise disruption on Saturday 4th February.
The conditions, under Section 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act, limited the time both groups could spend in the city centre, and also prevented them from carrying out static protests during the marches.
They where:
- Supporters for both groups could gather at their respective assembly points between 11am and 12pm. Failure to arrive by this time would have resulted in exclusion from the event.
- Organisers and stewards could prepare supporters for the marches between 12pm and approximately 12.30pm. Marches had to follow agreed routes and timings directed by the senior police officer present at the time.
- There was no provision for static assembly during the course of either route.
- After the marches had concluded, there was an opportunity for a static assembly.
- People attending the marches and assembly had to disperse as directed by the senior police officer present at the scene, before or by 4pm.
Anyone who failed to comply with these conditions would have been guilty of an offence and could have been arrested.
Watch Peter Soulsby and Rob Nixon on YouTube
View the
video messages* from Peter
Soulsby, City Mayor, and Rob Nixon, Leicester City
BCU Commander, Leicestershire Police, in the run up to the protests.
