Map shows where UKIP protesters are banned from meeting in London over fears of ‘serious disorder’

A UKIP protest has been strictly forbidden from meeting in Whitechapel, east London, over fears of ‘serious disorder’.

The Metropolitan Police has imposed conditions for the protest next Saturday, banning anyone from UKIP gathering in Tower Hamlets.

Officers claimed their presence in the area, where more than 50% of the population identifed as Asian in the 2021 census, ‘could lead to serious disruption or disorder’.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman, said: ‘We are not saying that the UKIP protest, in isolation, will be disorderly. But we do know that many will find it provocative and that provocation is likely to lead to an adverse local reaction.

‘We reasonably believe, based on the information available and on previous similar incidents, that the coming together of the UKIP protest with opposing groups who are hostile to its presence would be highly likely to lead to violence and serious disorder.

‘As the police, we can’t just allow that to happen – so we have a choice.

‘It would be reckless to allow an event to go ahead when we understand there’s a risk of serious violence to members of the community and to our officers.

‘We are not doing so on the grounds of politics. We’re not even doing so on the grounds of whether people will be offended or not by their presence. We are doing so solely on our risk assessment for serious disorder.’

The force clarified the protest has not been banned, and it can take place elsewhere in London.

But anyone from the party caught rallying in Tower Hamlets faces arrest under the Public Order Act.

In October, another protest called ‘The Mass Deportations Tour’ was also banned over fears of serios disorder.

This prompted a counter-protest of masked men taking to the streets of Whitechapel chanting ‘Allahu Akbar’.

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