Police Warn Disruption Likely As EDL Plan Halifax Demo

3 July 2011, 12:13 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

The English Defence League (EDL) has announced its intention to hold a demonstration in Halifax on Saturday 9 July.

In a joint statement - West Yorkshire Police and Calderdale Council have said: "We recognise the legal and democratic right of people to demonstrate peacefully and our responsibility to facilitate peaceful protest.

"However, we also need to ensure that Halifax is a safe and attractive place for people to live, work and visit. We have been working closely with our partners to manage and plan for the event, including finding a suitable location.

"The Eureka! car park, adjacent to the railway station, is a large open space which would allow the EDL to demonstrate and is situated so as to reduce disruption to the town centre and other events taking place.

"Having considered all the circumstances and the large numbers of people who will be passing through this location, Eureka! will be closed on Saturday 9 July.

"It is likely there will be some disruption in and around Halifax on the day, but we will do all we reasonably can to minimise the disruption, keep people safe and return to normal as quickly as possible."