Protests planned as English Defence League targets Doncaster this weekend

Protesters are planning to march against the far-right English Defence League after it announced a gathering in Doncaster this weekend.
The EDL march in Hexthorpe in 2014.The EDL march in Hexthorpe in 2014.
The EDL march in Hexthorpe in 2014.

Members of the group are set to gather in Hexthorpe on Saturday where there have been a number of community tensions in recent years over an influx of Roma migrants.

The EDL is planning to gather in Hexthorpe at noon on Saturday, with counter protests planned by anti-fascist groups.

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The event is described as an English Defence League Regional and a post on Facebook said the march was "to make a stand, to show the residents of Hexthorpe have had enough of seeing the place they call home become a no go zone and of living in fear in their homes."

Doncaster Antifascists, Rotherham Unite Against Fascism and Doncaster Stand Up To Racism are all planning counter demonstrations and a spokesman said: "The racist knuckle draggers of the EDL are attempting to return to Hexthorpe this weekend, clearly forgetting they were chased out by the locals last time they tried it!

"They weren't welcome then and they aren't now. Join us to stop the last dregs of this fascist group terrorising our multicultural town."

The anti-EDL groups will meet at Doncaster railway station at 11am.

During the organisation's last march in Doncaster in 2014, 350 police were on duty to keep the opposing factions apart.