Statement on the English Defence League march through Rotherham
John condemned the right-wing EDL’s plans to march through the centre of Rotherham on 10 May.
He said: “I strongly condemned the EDL when they brought their extreme and racist demonstrations into Rotherham town centre in 2012. Then they cost us half a million pounds in policing costs and lost trade.
“While there is a public right of assembly and protest in this country, the EDL are not welcome or wanted here. Rotherham people do not want this huge disruption and cost and they don’t want their town used as a platform for the EDL’s vile views.”