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MANCHESTER’S taxpayers face a policing bill of at least a quarter of a million pounds because the council gave the go-ahead to a demonstration by the EDL, anti-fascists said yesterday.
More than 200 racist and fascist thugs descended on Manchester city centre on Saturday to be confronted by an anti-fascist rally numbering about 700.
The fascists staged a demonstration outside Manchester town hall, while the anti-fascists staged a march and rally to oppose them and to celebrate Manchester’s multi-culturalism.
Police mobilised 300 officers and it is now believed that the cost of the operation to taxpayers will be £250,000 — and possibly as much as £300,000.
The EDL were even provided with buses to bring them into Manchester city centre.
The rally and march against the EDL were called by Unite Against Fascism (UAF).
Manchester UAF said: “Albert Square was turned into a militarised police zone with the EDL caged into one corner and a helicopter overhead.
“Unite Against Fascism refused police invitations, made during the week leading up to the rally and march, to enter the caged area in a face-off against the EDL.”
EDL rallies have cost taxpayers millions of pounds.
But while police do not ask the EDL to pay the costs of policing their events, other organisations are being told they must pay for policing — or not stage events.
An EDL demonstration in Leeds in October 2009 cost more than £1 million for policing.
The EDL paid nothing towards policing costs — but organisers of Leeds Trades Council’s traditional May Day march and rally in the city were told they would have to contribute to the cost of policing and traffic management for the event.
In London campaign groups have been told they must pay private security firms to police events — a demand seen as an attempt to introduce “payment for the right to protest.”
Twelve campaigning groups have said they will refuse to pay for what they view as their right to protest.
More than 60,000 people have signed a petition by online campaign group Avaaz against any move to make protest groups pay.
