Over to you Sir Norman

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 11 August 2010, 20:25

'Bradford Together' Organisers' Paul and Lorraine take a minute out before delivering the petition to the Home Office.

This afternoon I joined a delegation from Bradford to hand in a petition to the Home Office calling for the EDL demonstration, set for Saturday 28 August, to be banned.

An amazing 10,700 Bradfordians signed our petition, a clear indication of the strength of feeling surrounding the EDL's march of hate.

Let us not underestimated the magnitude of this petition. 10,700 names represents 10,700 successful conversations with local people, and is over 5% of all adults in the city. Another great community campaign waged in the city over the past year was the one to save the Odeon cinema. In seven months they collected 7,000 signatures and that was considered huge. We collected ours in just three weeks.

The Home Office took our petition quite sympathetically. We explained why we saw Bradford as different from most other places where the EDL had marched. We stressed that with democracy came responsibilities.

Officials made it clear that the key player now is West Yorkshire Police. When pressed they could not think of an instance when a Home Secretary refused a request from a chief constable and council for a ban.

It is our understanding that Bradford City Council has submitted a paper outlining their support for a ban. That leaves West Yorkshire Police. So, if they push for a ban then it will happen and the EDL march will not happen.

So, Sir Norman Bettison, Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police, will you accept the will of the people of Bradford and apply for a ban?