Far right protesters cost Dudley Council £10k
A council spent an estimated £10,000 managing recent far right protesters, adding to the spiralling spending linked to plans for a new mosque.
Dudley Council confirmed it spent the money on security and cleaning up after around 200 protestors from a group named All Football Fans/Firms March Against Islamisation (AFFFMAI) descended on the town on June 13.
This was despite it being a largely peaceful event with only one arrest made.
In total, costs associated with the plans for a replacement Dudley Central Mosque, including legal expenditure, have topped £1.7 million.
Meanwhile, organisers of the AFFFMAI march have looked to rebrand the group and have now taken on the name United Against Islamisation.
The far right group has previously said it is planning a return to the town earmarked for September 12.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, David Jamieson, said the group's recent protest also had a 'huge' cost to local policing.
"The protests in Dudley meant that police had to focus their efforts there instead of on local policing in the West Midlands and the rest of Dudley," he explained.
"Ordinary people in Dudley are clearly weary of these constant protests and like me are fed-up with the effect they are having on their local policing."
Dudley Council also forked out around £10,000 when Britain First marched in the town in May.
A third march to have taken place this year, organised by the English Defence League in February, had a higher cost to the authority totalling £25,000.
The protests have centred around plans to replace Dudley Central Mosque in Castle Hill.
But Dudley Muslim Association has recently offered Dudley Council £325,000 to drop court action blocking plans to build the mosque off Hall Street.
If the proposal from the DMA is accepted the group would retain ownership of the site and the council would end its bid to invoke its buy-back clause.
Amjid Raza, spokesperson for DMA, said: "It is not just the money that these protests have cost the council that is the problem. The real cost is the loss of business and trade in Dudley town. Once again this cost is unfortunate and disappointing.
"The Dudley Muslim Association has made an offer to the council which has been passed to a scrutiny committee for consideration. Something is being done to resolve the situation."
Meanwhile plans are being made for a 'unity' event to deter future protests.
But this too has proved controversial with Councillor Paul Brothwood, leader of the UKIP group at Dudley Council, branding it a 'disgraceful waste of taxpayers' money. The cost for the event has been estimated at £6,245.
