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A LGBT group’s held what critics feared was an “anti-Islam” march through Stockton - but barely anybody turned up.

Police lined Stockton’s streets as they prepared for the arrival of around 50 supporters from LGBT Stockton on Tees, who were feared to have EDL members amid its ranks.

Sources told the Gazette extra officers were even drafted in for Saturday’s march, over fears violent clashes may erupt, while rolling road closures were in place.

But when the train carrying the group arrived at 1.45pm, only around half a dozen members walked onto the platform to be handed a police escort into the town centre.

What followed was an occasionally heated but ultimately peaceful bout of mudslinging between members of the group and a slightly larger pack from the anti-austerity Teesside People’s Assembly.

But even LGBT Stockton’s own members admitted their turnout wasn’t very impressive.

However the group did appear to pick up supporters as it addressed a ballooning crowd in what was billed as a rally of solidarity towards those massacred in Nice and Orlando.

“Everyone should be allowed to live their life in innocence and enjoyment and do what they want to make themselves happy as long as it hurts nobody else,” said speaker Bill Weir.

“If anyone can’t agree with that then go and find another country as this country isn’t for you.”

But while both sides waived the rainbow flag, while gay rights were the initial focus of the event, it wasn’t long before Assembly members heckled LGBT members over their perceived Islamophobia.

LGBT Stockton’s Tommy Cook denied that was the case, saying: “This is not about Islam, this is about terrorism at the heart of the gay community.

“We are here to show solidarity with the gay community.”

But as Mr Weir addressed supporters, one opponent yelled “refugees are welcome here” to which a LGBT Stockton member replied: “No they are not”.

This sparked increasingly heated scenes, to the point at the end of the rally in which pro and anti refugee chanting broke out.

But Mr Weir added: “You try and make us out to be racists and Nazis.

“We are not - we are concerned about innocence being killed.

“If you are killed because of someone you love it’s wrong and it’s time people understand this is not going to go away,” he added, before proceeding to grab and waive a rainbow flag.

However, what was initially feared to potentially prove a headache to police turned out to ultimately go off without a hitch.

There appeared to be no arrests, with an officer telling the Gazette: “I think we out number them by about 10 to one.

“We could probably man mark them if we had to.”

Yet despite the clashes, Don Bar owner Julie Cooper said: “Tommy was speaking for the gay community - it has nothing to do with race.”

“They supposedly want the same thing yet they are fighting each other - it’s just stupid.”