Alert as right-wing EDL protesters descend on Halifax again

Police and council officials warned there would be “some disruption” and that the popular children’s museum Eureka! would be closed all day.

A joint statement from Calderdale Council and West Yorkshire Police 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 statement said the Eureka! car park, next to the railway station, was a large open space which would allow the EDL to demonstrate and to cause as little disruption as possible to the town centre.

It added: “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.”

In April police made 15 arrests as more than 200 officers from across West Yorkshire oversaw meetings of the English Defence League and the Muslim Defence League in Halifax.

Tens of police vans, horses and the police helicopter were deployed to ensure the demonstrations remained peaceful.