Ahead of the English Defence Leagues plans to march in Birmingham City Centre on 20th July, West Midlands police have made it clear that Birmingham is not a city that tolerates extremism.
The right wing political party is scheduled to protest in the heart of the city centre, Centenary Square, where they will pass by the Hall of Memory. Being hailed as one of the most multi- cultural places to live in, the police have expressed their disapproval of anything that may threaten that title.
Assistant Chief Constable, Sharon Rowe from West Midlands police stated, “This is a city of many communities, nationalities and creeds – all harmoniously living and working side by side. Any attempt to disrupt that harmony will not succeed”.
The police have ensured that there will be a robust and heightened plan of action in process on the day of the march to confirm that the Muslim community does not stand alone.
Councillor John Cotton, from Birmingham City Council stated, “We are a tolerant city, but be assured, any threat will be dealt with accordingly”.
The EDL have commented, saying, “Birmingham has become a literal hotbed of Islamic extremist activity. Why is it somehow acceptable for us to surrender an area of any of our cities just because a fraction of the population there does not want to live in harmony with its neighbours? The time to bring this to a halt is now. We do not want to drive Muslims out of Birmingham, nor do we want to eradicate Muslim culture from the area. What we do want is for all of our children to be safe from crime, harassment and exploitation. We want to be able to walk the streets without worrying about being assaulted, and we certainly want to be able to make our own decisions on matters of faith”.
West Midlands Police have advised the Muslim community to avoid Birmingham City Centre as further social confrontation may lead to violence. Any counter protests will be dealt with equally.
By Aneesa Malik
