Police are alerting people to steer clear of Deeside this weekend as controversial right-wing group the English Defence League (EDL) stages a second protest against “militant Islam”. A march is to be held in Shotton from noon on Saturday, organised by EDL Deeside division member Graeme England.
He said: “We will be meeting at Shotton train station and will march from there to the site of the old Shotton Lane Social Club, where there will be some speeches. It will be an unofficial demo as the EDL leaders won’t be there, but we are expecting hundreds of members. It will be larger than last time we protested.”
About 100 EDL supporters marched through Shotton in January to voice their opposition to Flintshire Muslim Cultural Society’s plan to open an Islamic cultural centre at the derelict site of the town’s former social club, which was torched a couple of weeks later.
Mr England said: “We will also have the North West Infidels with us on the march. They are similar to the EDL in that we are fighting for the same cause – both our groups are against militant Islam. Our primary aim is to protest against a proposed mosque for Shotton. Burning the club down was a sign the community does not want it here.”