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.