Muslims Against Crusades wanted to protest; their application was denied. But they will almost certainly be in the area anyway, and the EDL is planning to counter-protest. The police, meanwhile, are scouring the Westminster Abbey area for explosives. If there are any there, of course, it isn’t because of the EDL.
“Royal wedding: Muslim group’s Abbey protest blocked,” from the BBC, April 19:
Scotland Yard says it has rejected an application by a radical Islamist group to protest outside Westminster Abbey on royal wedding day.
The group, Muslims against Crusades, was behind a poppy-burning protest on Armistice Day.
Officers said talks were continuing on whether protests at other nearby locations would also be blocked.
The English Defence League had said it would hold a counter- demonstration if permission were granted.
Five thousand police officers will be on duty on the day.
Assistant Commissioner Lynne Owens said that negotiations with the groups were “on-going”, but pledged that the wedding would not be disrupted.
She said there would be 70-80 close protection teams for VIPs on the day, 29 April.
Police have already begun searching central London for explosives.
Scouring routeOfficers are scouring every inch of the route to Westminster Abbey, while dogs have also been checking bins and lamp-posts for bombs….