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Far-right group the EDL says it is coming back to Liverpool – and Liverpool is already preparing its fightback.

The far-right group’s rally in Birmingham at the weekend hit the headlines when an image of a woman smiling at an enraged EDL protestor went viral.

The image of Saffiyah Khan calmly looking at EDL leader Ian Crossland has been shared thousands of times across social media.

Now the EDL – in a tweet appearing to show Mr Crossland himself with a microphone – says it wants to hold a “demo” in Liverpool on June 3.

(Image: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)

And Unite Against Fascism (UAF) has already planned a counter-demonstration at Lime Street Station to show the city’s opposition to the far right.

Liverpool has a history of standing up to far-right demonstrations.

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In 2015 National Action had to cancel its “White Man March” through Liverpool after mass protests that saw some far-right marchers retreat into a luggage locker at Lime Street station.

And last year the so-called “North West Infidels” clashed with anti-fascist groups outside St George’s Hall.

Today Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson said: “I’m proud of our city’s track record of fighting for equality and fairness. It makes Liverpool a vibrant, open and exciting place to live.

“That’s why messages of hate and intolerance are never welcome here and protests like this one will never change our city.”

Paul Jenkins of UAF said: “There’s a proud history from the people of Liverpool of standing up to fascist organisations and fascist demonstrations.

“Over the last couple of years people in Liverpool have come out against fascist groups, but also for a long time, like kicking Nick Griffin out of his seat as North West MEP.

“It’s important that people in Liverpool and elsewhere realise that anti-rascists are the majority. The sorts of racism and Islamophobia and anti-Semitism that the likes of the EDL are trying to stir up are completely unacceptable.”

The ECHO has approached the EDL for a comment.