High-profile policing at protest on mosque extension defended

The BNP had been expected to hold a protest outside the mosque in Pearson Park on Saturday against plans to extend the building that would double its capacity.

This drew a counter-demonstration by groups including Unite Against Fascism, which drew about 150 people.

Fearing a confrontation that could spill into violence, mounted police and other officers surrounded the counter-demonstrators a rigid cordon in a tactic known as "kettling".

Anyone wishing to leave the cordon was stopped and questioned, while the two main entrances to the park were sealed off.

A police horse was also deployed on a footpath leading from the park between a row of houses, which made it inaccessible to residents.

A man who was stopped while attempting to walk through the police lines, who did not want to be named, said: "I wasn't part of any demonstration. I just wanted to see what was going on and I was stopped and asked where I was going. It was a bit threatening.

" You couldn't even walk through the park if you wanted to. It was a bit over the top."

The police are believed to have included a detachment from Bridlington who had been brought in to gain experience of handling potentially volatile crowds.

The BNP had been expected at noon but did not gather outside the mosque and instead police said a "small group" had distributed leaflets at one of the entrances to the park.

The counter-demonstrators stayed for about two hours chanting anti-BNP slogans while staff at the mosque brought them warm drinks.

No arrests were made and police said they were pleased the demonstrations had been peaceful.

Chief Insp David Rawding, neighbourhood policing commander in Hull, said: "Everybody has the right to the freedom of speech and to lawful protest and our role was to ensure protesters and other members of the public remained safe throughout the course of the event.

"The high visibility policing presence was to reassure all communities and ensure that the protest passed off peace- fully."

Avenues ward councillor John Robinson, who was at the demonstration, said: "People of different political persuasions have the right to protest peacefully but that's got to be balanced against the right to be free from intimidation.

"Pearson Park is for the benefit of all communities and nobody should feel intimidated or face the prospect of violence."

He added: "The mosque and the people who use the mosque are an important part of the local community."

Hull Council's planning committee is due to visit the mosque next Monday before deciding whether to allow planning permission.

Two petitions against the development have been submitted as well as one in favour.

Police are backing the extension, which would see a minaret added to the building and space for up to 700 worshippers.

Three teenagers arrested in connection with an arson attack on a newly-built mosque in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, have been released on bail pending further inquiries.

Staffordshire Police are treating the fire, and damage caused to a nearby gas main, as racially-motivated.