by Sunny Hundal

London Labour Assembly Member Murad Qureshi has called for the ban on the English Defence League from marching to be revoked.

In a letter to the Met Police’s acting commissioner Tim Godwin, passed on to Liberal Conspiracy, he says the ban achieved nothing and calls on him to “reconsider the Met’s position on this issue”.

He told Liberal Conspiracy he was uncomfortable with the “far reaching” impact of the ban, after being initially for it.

On his own blog, he writes:

I found myself being put in my place my a local Bengali boy, off Brick Lane. He simply said to me “What EDL march ban? They were still able to come and make their presense felt and insult my families faith” when I asked his views on the march the day before.

In his letter to the Godwin he says the ban might also impact other planned processions and marches in East London.

While the Met have said the ban would not affect long-standing events, the order gives them the power to pull any event if they see fit.

The ban on marches and demonstrations – applicable for 30 days and signed by Home Secretary Theresa May – affects five boroughs in East London.

Letter to Tim Godwin Re EDL March