A notorious far-right group has announced plans to descend on Brighton and Hove city in less than two months’ time.
The English Defence League (EDL) said it would return to the city on Saturday April 18.
The group is linked with the March for England event, which last year led to one of the largest police operations ever seen in the city and saw officers tasked with separating 150 nationalists from more than 1,000 counter demonstrators.
There were 27 arrests in 2014, ranging from assault causing actual bodily harm to possession of an offensive weapon.
The EDL announced this year’s date on its Facebook page.
Supporter Alan Hodges wrote: “I’m going to Brighton – going to put my money where my mouth is.”
Under a pseudonym another wrote: “Brighton. You do know you won’t get a peaceful demo there, don’t you?”
The decision to come to Brighton follows a March for England announcement in September that the group would not return to the city this year.
Weyman Bennett, joint national secretary of Unite Against Fascism (UAF), said there would be a counter demonstration on April 18.
He said: “We are organising a counter demonstration with other Brighton anti-fascists. We don’t believe the EDL have a right to divide a multi-cultural, multi-racial society.
“The EDL has become far more right-wing and homophobic and we believe they shouldn’t be allowed to march.
“The truth is, it’s very expensive to march and during a time of austerity it is not right to deprive local people of their services. It is an insult to them.
“If the EDL want to march they should do it away from where they don’t disrupt the normal everyday lives of local people.”
Superintendent Steve Whitton of Sussex Police said he was not aware the EDL planned to come to Brighton on April 18.
He said: “The thing is, these kind of conversations happen on social networking and in pubs every year.
“It tends to gain momentum through reporting and people giving it attention.
“I’m not aware of the EDL coming to Brighton on that date and it will only happen if it gets the momentum required and people turn up.
“I’m not overly concerned about it at its current stage. There’s always this kind of chat every year.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel