EDL may face alcohol ban during planned march in Leicester

Leicester Mercury | Thursday, 26 January 2012 | Click here for original article

Police during the EDL march in Leicester last year

Police want to restrict the sale of alcohol during the English Defence League's proposed march next month.

Senior officers are exploring ways of ensuring people travelling to the EDL's planned demonstration on Saturday, February 4, will not be able to buy alcohol in shops and pubs before, during and after their protest.

When the group last staged a major protest in Leicester, in October 2010, a number of pubs remained closed.

However, the EDL made a point of negotiating access to pubs and its supporters were escorted to venues in Hotel Street which had agreed to serve them.

The decision to allow them to drink was later criticised in some quarters after violence broke out in Humberstone Gate East.

Details of possible restrictions – including the duration and the areas of the city affected – have not been worked out yet, officers said yesterday.

Police and council officials are to hold further discussions with the EDL and Leicester Unite Against Fascism, which is planning a counter protest, in the next few days.

Chief Superintendent Rob Nixon said: "We are continuing to work together to look at our tactical options around how we can restrict the sale of alcohol.

"We're also looking to ensure that we reduce the impact as much as possible on the city centre."

A city licensee, who asked not to be named, said: "I don't know how it will work but it sounds like the right idea.

"There was trouble in and around Hotel Street last time and then later in the day.

"I would want to know how widespread the restrictions would be and how long they would last. Saturday is a busy day for us."

The authority can apply to the Home Office for permission to ban all marches in the city, as it did on the last occasion.

However, it is keeping an open mind on whether that would be justified. Static protests cannot be banned.

The city council said yesterday that it was planning to open youth centres on the day to provide "diversionary" activities for young people.

Centres operated by community groups will also be encouraged to provide activities for youths in an attempt to prevent them from becoming involved in any disorder.

The tactic is a repeat of the council's actions in 2010.

Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: "I have had meetings with community leaders and businesses and the overwhelming message from them is they want us to do all we can to keep disruption to an absolute minimum on that day.

"That is what we are aiming to do."

The October 2010 operation cost police – who put 2,000 officers on to the streets – and Leicester City Council an estimated £850,000.

Shops, particularly in Humberstone Gate East, lost trade because they closed and were boarded up for the day.