Press Release
From the Office of the Mayor of Tower Hamlets
For immediate release – 30 Aug. 2013
Tower Hamlets Mayor prepares legal challenge over failure to ban EDL
Demands urgent meeting with Home Secretary, Commissioner and local MPs
The Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman, announced today that the council is preparing for a judicial review of the Metropolitan Police’s failure to exercise its power to apply to the Home Secretary for prohibition of the proposed racist march by the English Defence League (EDL) in Tower Hamlets on 7 September.
Mayor Lutfur Rahman said:
“I have been proud of the united response of the community in response to this grave threat of violence and disorder on our streets.
“We will not tolerate racist carpet-baggers being bussed in to stir up divisions in our diverse community.
“I’m deeply disappointed that the police and the Home Secretary have failed to act, despite my formally requesting them to do so. Clearly they are not on the same page as the scores of prominent national and local figures who joined me in calling for a ban.
“I call upon them to see sense, but in the absence of an adequate response I intend to take this matter to the High Court.”
A pre-action letter was issued by the council today, indicating that Judicial Review of the Metropolitan Police’s decision will be sought in the High Court unless the Metropolitan Police Commissioner applies without delay to the Home Secretary for a prohibiting order under section 13 the Public Order Act 1986.
The Mayor has also demanded an urgent meeting with the Home Secretary and the Commissioner on Monday, to include the local MPs Jim Fitzpatrick and Rushanara Ali and London Assembly member John Biggs.
Mayor Rahman has written to the MPs, urging them to join his demand for an urgent meeting to push for a ban.
Mayor Rahman concluded, “We need to get around the table and sort this out. Otherwise, lives and livelihoods, as well as our community cohesion, are at stake.”
Ends
Notes to Editors:
The Guardian letter led by Mayor Lutfur Rahman asking that the Home Secretary ban the proposed EDL march in Tower Hamlets:
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/aug/22/stop-english-defence-league-march-hate
The call for action has come from Mayor Lutfur Rahman and is supported by the following;
Ken Livingstone, former Mayor of London
Len McCluskey, General Secretary, Unite the Union
Keith Vaz MP, Chairman, House of Commons Home Affairs Committee
Rt Hon Clare Short
Billy Hayes, General Secretary Communication Workers Union
Jim Fitzpatrick MP
John Cryer MP
Grahame Morris MP
Jeremy Corbyn MP
Christine Shawcroft, Labour Party NEC
Maulana Shams-ul Haq, Chair, Council of Mosques Tower Hamlets
Rev Preb. Alan Green, Rector St John on Bethnal Green
Leon Silver, Nelson Street Synagogue
Max Levitas, Veteran; Battle of Cable Street
Sajjad Miah, Acting President, Brick Lane Mosque
George Iacobescu, Canary Wharf Group
Salma Yaqoob
Giles Fraser
Neil Jameson, London Citizens
Dilowar Khan, Executive Director, London Muslim Centre
James Grayson, Chair Tower Hamlets Co-operative Party
Jan McHarry, London Buddhist Centre
Phil Sedler, Chair Tower Hamlets Federation of Tenants & Residents Associations
Jenny Fisher, Secretary Tower Hamlets Federation of Tenants & Residents Associations
Jack Gilbert, Rainbow Hamlets
Len Aldis, Tower Hamlets CND
Guy Harper, Organiser, Tower Hamlets Left Unity
David Rosenberg, Jewish Socialist Group
Julia Hunt, Secretary, Stepney Historical Trust
Steve Hart, Chair, Unite Against Fascism
Sabby Dhalu, Joint Secretary, Unite Against Fascism
Pasha Khandaker, President, Bangladesh Caterers Association (BCA)
Mukim Ahmed, Chair, British Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce (BBCC)
Dr Hasanat M Hussain, MBE, Leader, Voice for Justice World Forum
KM Abu Taher Choudhury, Secretary, Voice for Justice
Barrister Ataur Rahman, Chair, Greater Sylhet Council (GSC)
Islam Uddin, President, Soytten Sen School for Preforming Arts & UDICHI( Cultural Group)
Aziz Choudhury, Chair, Spitalfield Small Business Association (SSBA)
Dilu Naser, General Secretary, Sommilito Sanskritik Parishad (Cultural collection)
Sirajul Basith Choudhury, General Secretary, Bangledeshi Teachers Association UK
Tower Hamlets Interfaith Forum
East London Mosque
United East End
Islamic Forum of Europe
Searchlight Magazine
Trade union Friends of Searchlight
Redbridge and Epping Forest Together
For information about this press release contact Numan Hussain , Political Advisor to the Mayor , on 07508 352 023 or email numan.hussain@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Mayor Lutfur Rahman 