The Plymouth Herald condemns last Saturday’s anti-mosque protest by the English Defence League.

One can only guess at the motivation of the EDL supporters who travelled from outside our city to demonstrate. Their organiser, Gary England came from Bournemouth because he said a mosque would invite oppression.

His logic is hard to follow. There is only one group that might have felt oppressed by the chanting, snarling, mask wearing tactics of the EDL on Union Street on Saturday – muslims.

It seems highly unlikely that the Dance Academy will ever be turned into a mosque. But if it were it would be a welcome addition to our cultural landscape.

The EDL attempts to use protest to breed fear and suspicion of minority groups. It is an organisation willing to use its rights while failing to accept its responsibilities to diversity, cohesion or equality.