COUNTER protesters have blasted the police for not allowing them to demonstrate in the city centre at the same time as the English Defence League (EDL).

The far-right group will march from Angel Place to Cornmarket car park, Worcester, on Saturday, over plans to build a £3million mosque in the city.

Opponents had hoped to hold a 'peace protest' in Cornmarket car park to let the EDL know that they are not welcome in the city.

However, West Mercia Police denied this request and instead said a counter demonstration could take place in Silver Street car park.

A Worcester Trades Union Council spokesman said: "WTUC utterly condemns the decision of the police to effectively hand over our city centre to visiting thugs of the EDL for an afternoon.

"Council recalls that the EDL’s most recent attempt to inject their hateful views into our streets commenced with their drunken, obscene and offensive chants about Islam.

"The police decision to facilitate the return of this organisation for an event that the EDL openly promote nationally as 'The Battle of Worcester' is nothing short of astonishing."

The spokesman said police had restricted the number of counter protesters at the Silver Street rally to 250 people.

The spokesman added: "Counter protestors requested the Cornmarket as the venue for a Rally 4 Unity which was aimed to show the widespread local support for peaceful diversity and to give the opportunity for trade unionists, members of political organisations, lovers of democracy and members of all sections of our community to stand together in unity against the rising tide of far-right hate.

"The Cornmarket request was rejected by the police on grounds that the EDL had booked it first. WTUC, acting as the facilitator of the counter protest, considers this decision in favour of visiting thugs to be a serious error and an insult to the citizens of Worcester.

"Council regards this mistake as now being compounded by today’s police decision to push counter protestors outside the old city centre and restrict numbers of counter protestors to those of the EDL - 250.

"This denies the possibility of showing how great is community opposition to the EDL and simultaneously removes the democratic right of protest within the centre itself.

"Council is currently taking legal advice. Council considers that the greatest danger to free speech is to let organisations such as the EDL establish and grow roots.

"If that happens the only free speech allowed will be in agreement with them.

"Council is sure that large numbers of people opposed to the EDL will still be on the streets of Worcester on Saturday.

"Council will continue in its search to find ways in which the scale and depth of discontent about this EDL march and rally can be expressed peacefully but effectively."

Chief Superintendent Mark Travis, of West Mercia Police, said: “Police and partners have been working with all groups over the last month to maximise the safety for all concerned.

"Proportionate, sensible and equitable restrictions have therefore been put in place on all groups to ensure that peaceful protest can be undertaken.

"This decision was made after listening to the concerns raised by the local community. We are seeking to ensure the disruption to residents, businesses and visitors is minimised on the day.”

The police boss emphasised that peaceful protests are a democratic right and said his officers would be there to prevent crime.

Both Silver Street and Cornmarket car parks will be closed from 6pm on Friday until the end of the demonstrations at around 5pm on Saturday.

There may also be some temporary road closures during the protests.

The EDL march is expected to start at 1.30pm on Saturday.