The English Defence League has lost a last minute legal bid to overturn a police ban on it marching through the centre of an east London borough tomorrow.
The far right group wanted to demonstrate in the heart of Tower Hamlets, home to Britain’s largest Muslim population and the large East London Mosque.
The Metropolitan Police had allowed it to protest but with strict conditions that meant any march would be held at the outskirts of the borough and close to Tower Bridge.
The EDL led by Tommy Robinson, wanted to march further east with some 2,000 supporters.
It argued in the High Court today that parts of Tower Hamlets are “subject to Sharia Law”.
But a judge agreed with the police’s argument there was a potential for serious disorder.
Thousands of counter-demonstrators from Unite Against Fascism, the Socialist Workers’ Party and United East End - an umbrella outfit of local community groups – are expected to rally against the EDL.
A similar march planned two years ago was banned from entering the borough, but that did not prevent running battles on Tower Hamlets streets after a coach full of far right demonstrators broke down in a heavy populated area.
In the court today, EDL lawyers said the police restrictions were “disproportionate”.
The lawyers said the EDL described itself as a “human rights organisation” which wanted to highlight the “stranglehold” that “radical Islam” had on British Muslims.
But Mr Justice King said the EDL had not shown the police decision to be unlawful, irrational, unreasonable or disproportionate.
Meanwhile, Express Online has learnt Tower Hamlets Council, led by controversial Lutfur Rahman, Britain’s first directly elected Muslim mayor, had itself launched its own last minute legal challenges.
It wants the march banned outright but the police and Home Secretary Theresa May declined to accept that request last month.
The council’s most senior officer, Stephen Halsey, ordered his legal team to launch a judicial review of that decision but a judge rejected its application on Tuesday night.
It then requested an oral hearing with another judge, but the council declined to elaborate on that action this afternoon.
The council had already rejected a request by the EDL to rally in Altab Ali Park in Whitechapel – a park named after a young man murdered in a racist attack in 1978.
Mr Halsey has told councillors in the borough to be prepared for trouble, warning them to wear high visibility jackets so that they can be identified if violence breaks out.
He said in a briefing note seen by Express Online: “I have arranged for our CCTV control centre to operate to capacity throughout the day.
“Our own enforcement officers will be patrolling the borough at key locations providing reassurance and a visible presence.
“The youth service will be out on the street to ensure that our young people are safe and to help counter any misinformation.”
The EDL is expected to muster at noon tomorrow just south of Tower Bridge in Tooley Street, from where they will be escorted by police to Aldgate on the borough’s boundary – the potential flashpoint.
They will be allowed to protest for 30 minutes before being turned back by police.