The march had been condemed by church leaders and Liverpool council
Police in attendance at a planned UKP march and a counter-demonstration organised by Merseyside Stand Up To Racism(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Six people were arrested today (March 21) following a “Walk with Jesus” march, organised by far right political party UKIP. The march was scheduled to take place from outside the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, after UKIP had called on its supporters to “Stand for Christ in Liverpool during Lent”, by taking part in a ‘procession’ through the city centre.
Ahead of the march the leader of Liverpool Council, Cllr Liam Robinson, condemned the scheduled event and said it was regretful the authority couldn’t put a stop to it.
Senior church leaders in the city also added their opposition to the march. They said the march had been “organised independently of the recognised Christian community in Merseyside and resist any suggestion that it speaks on our behalf.”
A message shared on UKIP’s social media pages on February 23, said the meeting point would be on the steps of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral at 12pm, with the march leaving at 1pm.
By 10am this morning, a counter-demonstration organised by Merseyside Stand Up To Racism was already underway, with hundreds of people occupying space outside the cathedral and in front of its steps.
A police helicopter had been deployed, which could be seen circling over the meeting spot, where a large police presence was visible in front of the steps leading up to the cathedral, and standing about the crossing between Mount Pleasant and Hope Street.
UKIP leader Nick Tenconi, arrived at approximately 12:45pm, and 15 minutes before the scheduled procession. At 1pm there appeared to be approximately 50 UKIP supporters in attendance, all surrounded by hundreds of counter-demonstrations.
Those there for the march, began their walk at the designated 1pm start time, but within a few seconds they had stopped, blocked by people involved in the counter-protest, who stood across the road leading down Mount Pleasant. The UKIP supporters then retreated to where they started.
UKIP Rally in Liverpool.(Image: Liverpool Echo)
For the next hour, Nick Tenconi and his supporters stayed at the meeting point, where they remained until just after 2pm when they made their way down the pavement of Mount Pleasant, towards Clarence Street.
Police maintained a divide between the UKIP supporters, and the counter-demonstrators who could be seen clapping and cheering, many of them were heard chanting: “0-1-5-1, UKIP Do One”.
That walk resulted in a number of skirmishes, until police re-established a divide, and counter-demonstrators were asked to stand at Great Orford Street on one side and Pomona Street on the other side. In between, police created a perimeter around the UKIP supporters, who were stood in front of the former Irish Centre building.
This standoff lasted for approximately 45 minutes before the UKIP supporters made their way to Liverpool Lime Street Station.
Merseyside Police have now confirmed six people were arrested as a result of the ‘planned procession’ by UKIP, and a counter-protest in Liverpool city centre today (March 21).
At 8am this morning, police said it introduced a Section 60 Order, which runs until 9pm, and gives officers additional powers to search people suspected of involvement in criminality and disorder. It also includes a Section 60AA authorisation, meaning failure to remove a face covering when asked by an officer could result in arrest.
Of the six individuals arrested, police said three were taken into custody including:
A 45-year-old man from Ormskirk who arrested on suspicion of breach of the peaceA 26-year-old man from Netherton who was arrested for breach of bail conditionsA 24-year-old man from Bangor who was arrested on suspicion of being a public assembly participant failing to comply with a condition (breach of a Section 60AA order).
Chief Superintendent Zoe Thornton said: “There was a large policing presence in Liverpool city centre today to ensure the safety of all those taking part as well as the wider public.
“We will never tolerate acts of criminality or anti-social behaviour and while the vast majority of people who attended did so lawfully and peacefully, six people were arrested with three people being taken into custody.
“A decision was made to introduce a Section 60 order and apply conditions, and conditions were also put on under the Public Order Act 1986 . These decisions were not taken lightly, the purpose to reduce the potential risk of violence, and to prevent the intimidation of others.
“As a police force, we must uphold everyone’s rights to protest peacefully, while also aiming to keep the peace and ensure the public are safe. We make detailed and co-ordinated plans ahead of such events to ensure we can apply this consistently, fairly and proportionately.
“We would like to thank members of the public for their patience throughout the day.”