THE English Defence League (EDL) will stage a protest in Coventry this Saturday against the city becoming a ‘Muslim ghetto’.
The group will meet in the car park of The Litten Tree pub on Warwick Road at around 12.30pm before being escorted by police to Speaker’s Corner outside the Council House between 1.30pm and 2pm.
Police anticipate the number of EDL attendees is expected to be in the ‘low hundreds’ with the demonstration finishing between 3pm and 4pm.
The controversial far-right wing group will descend on the city on to protest against the threat of ‘Islamification’ across the country.
Among other issues to be debated at the demonstration, the grooming of children, people becoming radicalised and joining ISIS, and immigration will be on the agenda.
In a statement released by the group last month they claim they seek to highlight – “how this once-proud cathedral city is falling below the national radar while it’s being gutted by its transformation into a Muslim ghetto.
“Coventry, the capital of England in the 1400s, and later famous for clock making and manufacture of bicycles, machine tools, motor cycles and cars, is now known for producing jihadists.”
A counter demonstration by group Unite Against Fascism will take place in Broadgate at around 11.30am.
Police will be supported by partner agencies and community support and have drawn up detailed plans to cope with Saturday’s events.
Speaking ahead of the event, police said they had received no suggestion that protesters intend to to anything other than air their views, but added that hate crimes will not be tolerated and will be dealt with robustly.