Appeal for calm as EDL head to Dudley for protest
The head of Dudley Central Mosque joined community leaders in a plea for calm today as the English Defence League arrived to protest.
Up to 2,000 EDL protesters were expected to march through Dudley before holding a demonstration outside the council house at around 2pm.
It comes as dozens of anti-fascism campaigners were hosting a UNITY counter-rally in Castle Street.
Extra police were being drafted in to marshal the events but, despite reassurances, many businesses and buildings were shutting for the day.
Imam Hashmi, leader of Dudley Central Mosque, joined others like Rev Andrew Wickens, chairman of Dudley Interfaith Network, and the Bishop of Dudley, The Right Reverend Graham Usher, to sign the statement urging restraint.
In the statement, leaders say: "Dudley is a diverse and vibrant borough, in which people from different backgrounds and cultures get on and work together.
"In the West Midlands we respect the values of each other and the rights that we all have to worship safely in whichever way we chose. We will protect the right to peacefully protest and want everybody who visits Dudley to respect local people and their right to live in harmony."
