The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
600 police at EDL march
Hundreds of officers ensure there is only one arrest during day of protests in Peterborough city centre.
A huge police presence of 600 officers ensured a march by the English Defence League and a counter march by Peterborough Trades Union Council passed off peacefully.
The police response to two demonstrations in the city centre has been praised after only one person was arrested.
More than 300 demonstrators from the English Defence League (EDL), and more than 100 from the Peterborough Trades Union Council (PTUC) arrived in the city on Saturday for two marches.
There were also 600 police officers on duty, from 12 forces across the east of England - meaning there were more officers on the ground than there were protesters.
But, police numbers in the city was about half the number for similar marches in 2010, when more than 1,200 EDL demonstrators protested in the city.
Cambridges hire police refused to reveal the cost of Saturday’s operation, other than to say it was less than the £700,000 spent in 2010.
A ring of steel was set up in the Key Theatre car park for the PTUC event and on Bridge Street outside Peterborough Magistrates’ Court for the EDL. It ensured that once demonstrators were at the end of the respective marches and listening to speeches, they could not get out - which meant clashes and skirmishes similar to those seen on the Embankment in 2010 were avoided.
Barriers were also put up at the Bourges Boulevard crossing on Bridge Street to prevent crowds gathering outside the Magistrates’ Court.
At the march four years ago there were 10 arrests, but only one 46-year-old man was arrested at the demonstrations this year for a public order offence. He has been bailed until April 14.
A police spokesman said: “Officer numbers are based on threat, risk and harm as we have to account for every eventuality.”
The spokesman said the money used to police the march came from a special ‘contingency pot,’ and would not affect the budget of everyday policing in the county.
Peterborough MP Stewart Jackson said: “I think it’s right that the police were well prepared for any eventuality. No one knew absolutely how many marchers there would be in the city centre. Had there been serious uncontrolled disorder through lack of police, they would have been criticised.
“As it was, I’m happy to congratulate both Cambridgeshire Constabulary and Peterborough City Council for a professional operation which allowed the march to pass off without incident.”
Peterborough District Commander Supt Tony Ixer said: “Our aim today was to facilitate two peaceful protests while allowing the people of Peterborough to go about their business as usual and I am delighted this is what happened.
“We had sufficient resources on the ground to police the protests, carry out patrols in the city centre and key locations and deal with business as usual for the force.”