West Yorkshire Police Authority chairman, Councillor Mark Burns-Williamson, is to pursue a response from the Home Secretary about the policing of events such as the English Defence League demonstration in Bradford.
Coun Burns-Williamson wrote a joint letter, with Chief Constable Sir Norman Bettison, two months ago to Theresa May, exploring whether organisers of such protests could be accountable under civil law for providing stewards and a contribution towards the costs.
The EDL protest, and a counter-demonstration by Unite Against Fascism, in Bradford in August, cost almost £650,000 to police, plus £100,000 spent by Bradford Council on work for the event at the Bradford Urban Garden.
Yesterday, Coun Burns-Williamson said: “The Home Secretary praised the work of the police and the Council in a Commons statement, but we have not even had an acknowledgement in relation to the quite detailed letter we both wrote. I am going to be following that up.”
A police authority resources committee meeting tomorrow will approve the spending on the EDL demonstration.
The Telegraph and Argus
