Thread: UK : Police reassure residents ahead of anti-Islamic march

By ICrowsonDT | Posted: May 07, 2016

Police have reassured residents that they expect an anti-Islamic march to run "smoothly".

The march, which will take place in Burton tomorrow, has been organised by the Staffordshire Casual Infidels which said it hopes there will be a good turn-out.

Staffordshire Police has been preparing for the march for several weeks and the force said it is confident that it will run smoothly.

The Casual Infidels describes itself on Facebook as a 'freelancing movement that is battling Islam'.

Chief Inspector Steve Maskrey said: "I am really comfortable with the plan we have in place for it all to go smoothly. I am confident it will all pass off peacefully. There will be a sufficient number of police officers on duty."

He also said he wanted to reassure anyone who needed to contact the police on Sunday that they will still get a response as normal. The Staffordshire Casual Infidels group will assemble outside the Roebuck Inn, in Station Street, in the town, at around 1.30pm tomorrow. The pub said it has no affiliation with the event.

Police reassure residents ahead of anti-Islamic march | Derby Telegraph

Anti-Islam march ends when only 24 people show up

It was a disappointing Sunday for Burton’s ‘Islam-battling’ Casual Infidels group, whose anti-Islam march didn’t go quite to plan when 24 people turned up, wandered around for a few minutes, and then went home.

The Casual Infidels movement, branches of which, they say, are ‘popping up all over the country’, describes itself as a ‘freelancing movement’ which battles Islam.

They arranged a march in Burton for Sunday, to which only 24 people turned up.

Consequently Staffordshire Police outnumbered them four to one and told them to have their march when they said they were waiting for other people.

The Infidels wandered 200m up the street to an area from which the leaders were supposed to give speeches.

Branches of The Casual Infidels are ‘popping up all over the country’, they say

Perhaps realising that there wasn’t really anyone to give speeches to, they waited for five minutes and then went home.

Somehow, two people ended up getting arrested, but they were later de-arrested and given notice to leave by police.

‘Our top priority was the safety of everyone concerned and I am pleased to say the event has passed off without incident,’ said Chief Inspector Steve Maskrey.

So, the march didn’t go to plan.

But at least the weather was good.

Casual Infidels anti-Islam march in Burton ends when only 24 people show up | Metro News

Harry Readhead for Metro.co.uk Tuesday 10 May 2016 9:52 am