PICTURES and VIDEO: Under 40 turn out for Walsall United Patriots march

As anticipated by police less than 40 people took part in the march conducted by the United Patriots today despite the fact the group claimed up to 150 campaigners would be attending.

The demonstration had been organised to speak out against alleged terrorism and child grooming among the Islam community in Walsall.

The march was very much a low-key affair compared to far-right protests through the town in recent years.

The group mustered on Leicester Street at midday and set off towards Gallery Square just over an hour later.

Their route had to be changed at the last minute after around a dozen counter demonstrators from the Stand Up to Racism and We are Walsall groups set up with placards outside of St Paul's Church a short distance away.

With one flag between the bunch the Patriots set off in a northerly direction up Darwall Street.

The typical chants of 'Who's streets? Our streets' and 'Muslim terrorists off our streets' rang out as did cries of 'England til I die'.

With the majority of marchers in plain clothing and hardly a Union Jack in sight in an attempt to distance themselves from fellow far rights the English Defence League, the Patriots hardly caught the eye as they veered near St Paul's Bus Station.

Most passers-by either failed to bat an eyelid or at the most gave a bemused expression.

Within ten minutes of setting off they arrived at Gallery Square and in the absence of a stage and a microphone organiser, 18-year-old 'Walsall Liam' stood atop a bench outside Costa coffee and declared 'We have achieved what we wanted to achieve today'.

Earlier in the day Martin Lynch at the We Are Walsall rally point said: "We want to make it clear Walsall is a place which gets on together and we want to keep it that way.

"We don't want people promoting hate and division and that's their agenda."

West Midlands Police confirmed no arrests were made.