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Royal wedding: Muslim group and EDL apply to protest | Royal wedding: Muslim group and EDL apply to protest |
(40 minutes later) | |
Scotland Yard says a group called Muslims Against Crusades has applied for permission to protest outside Westminster Abbey on royal wedding day. | |
The group was behind a poppy-burning protest on Armistice Day; the English Defence League wants to hold a counter demonstration. | |
Five thousand police officers will be on duty on the day. | |
Assistant Commissioner Lynne Owens said negotiations were in process but the wedding would not be disrupted. | |
She said there would be 70-80 close protection teams for VIPs on the day, 29 April. | |
Police have already begun searching central London for explosives. | Police have already begun searching central London for explosives. |
Scouring route | |
Officers are scouring every inch of the route to Westminster Abbey, while dogs have also been checking bins and lamp-posts for bombs. | Officers are scouring every inch of the route to Westminster Abbey, while dogs have also been checking bins and lamp-posts for bombs. |
At a briefing on security arrangements, Ms Owens said 60 people currently on bail from prison would be banned from Westminster on the day of the wedding. | At a briefing on security arrangements, Ms Owens said 60 people currently on bail from prison would be banned from Westminster on the day of the wedding. |
As well as the Royal Family, 50 heads of state are attending the ceremony, which it is anticipated will be watched by up to two billion people on television. | As well as the Royal Family, 50 heads of state are attending the ceremony, which it is anticipated will be watched by up to two billion people on television. |
Scotland Yard said it had no intelligence of a specific terrorist threat to the wedding so was not currently in a position to impose anti-terrorism stop-and-search powers, said the BBC's Danny Shaw. | Scotland Yard said it had no intelligence of a specific terrorist threat to the wedding so was not currently in a position to impose anti-terrorism stop-and-search powers, said the BBC's Danny Shaw. |
Police have powers to ban any major protests along the main route that Prince William and his bride-to-be, Kate Middleton, will take. | Police have powers to ban any major protests along the main route that Prince William and his bride-to-be, Kate Middleton, will take. |
But they are unable to rule out "static" protests taking place at other nearby locations in central London. | But they are unable to rule out "static" protests taking place at other nearby locations in central London. |
Officers at Scotland Yard were contacted by the ultra-nationalist English Defence League, which said it wanted to protest if the Muslims Against Crusades' proposed action went ahead. | Officers at Scotland Yard were contacted by the ultra-nationalist English Defence League, which said it wanted to protest if the Muslims Against Crusades' proposed action went ahead. |
Poppy-burning | Poppy-burning |
In March this year a member of Muslims Against Crusades was fined £50 for burning poppies at an Armistice Day ceremony. | In March this year a member of Muslims Against Crusades was fined £50 for burning poppies at an Armistice Day ceremony. |
Emdadur Choudary, 26, burned two large plastic poppies during a two-minute silence in west London on 11 November. | Emdadur Choudary, 26, burned two large plastic poppies during a two-minute silence in west London on 11 November. |
The group's website calls on Muslims to disrupt the wedding. | The group's website calls on Muslims to disrupt the wedding. |
Ms Owens told the BBC police saw the wedding as a "day of celebration". | Ms Owens told the BBC police saw the wedding as a "day of celebration". |
"What we will be doing is making sure that no protest disrupts that celebration for the Royal Family. | "What we will be doing is making sure that no protest disrupts that celebration for the Royal Family. |
"What we have to do whenever we're deciding about whether there can be a protest, if they're asking to protest in the area around Parliament, it is defined by a very set definition of law - we have to authorise a demonstration but we can put conditions on that demonstration. | "What we have to do whenever we're deciding about whether there can be a protest, if they're asking to protest in the area around Parliament, it is defined by a very set definition of law - we have to authorise a demonstration but we can put conditions on that demonstration. |
"It's that negotiation process that we're engaged in at the moment. But [people] should be absolutely reassured that it won't disrupt the day and we'll have a very safe and happy celebratory event." | "It's that negotiation process that we're engaged in at the moment. But [people] should be absolutely reassured that it won't disrupt the day and we'll have a very safe and happy celebratory event." |
Last week, more details of the royal wedding were released by Clarence House, including the exact timings of the event and the route of the carriage procession. | Last week, more details of the royal wedding were released by Clarence House, including the exact timings of the event and the route of the carriage procession. |