Cancelled on police advice: St George's Day parade through the Bradford race-riot zone

A St George's Day parade through an inner-city area hit by race riots has been cancelled following police advice.

Community groups had planned to stage the multi-cultural event in Bradford and 1,500 schoolchildren were due to take part.

Many of the youngsters had already made flags of St George to carry on the parade on April 23, which was designed to boost community cohesion.

But last week police and council chiefs told the organisers that the event could not go ahead as planned for 'health and safety' reasons. At a meeting, police demanded a shorter route which avoided two streets at the centre of the race riots in 2001.

As a result, organisers have decided to call off the event, which was due to attract more than 10,000 people.

Bradford City councillor Quasim Khan said: "We were told by the police at the meeting that the original route had not been risk assessed and if we wanted a march to go ahead on that date, St George's Day, we would have to accept a smaller, different route.

"The police officers were getting quite animated, saying things like 'look, this just isn't going to happen'." Police and council officials said they did not have sufficient warning of the event.

However, community leaders planning the parade said the event was blighted because of fears it could stoke up violence. They claimed a police inspector had actually begun the plans for the parade nine months ago.

The Rev Tony Tooby, chairman of governors at St Philips primary school, which was due to take part, said: "We wanted the route to include where some of the riots had taken place to educate our young people.

"The police and council just kept telling us that the reason for their objection was 'health and safety'. They proposed another route which was ridiculously short. The march would have been over before it began.

"Unfortunately, there's a fear that someone may have used it to cause violence.

"The day seems to have been taken away from us because of fears of thugs. "The council and police say something could go ahead on July 1, but it won't be a St George's Day celebration.'

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The original route would have taken the parade through the Manningham district of Bradford and specifically along White Abbey Road and Carlisle Road, which both bore the brunt of the unrest seven years ago.

Instead Bradford City Council, on the advice of the police, offered organisers a shorter route that avoided those two streets. This was rejected.

Ironically, plans for the parade only started after Inspector Kash Singh of Bradford's Neighbourhood Policing Team brought together a committee of local community leaders and school headteachers.

Bradford City Council leader Kris Hopkins insisted last night that it had not cancelled the parade – simply the original route, which he maintained had been drawn up without the involvement of his officials.

"The council has not banned the St George's Day parade," he said. "It was a police-organised event which members of the community got involved in and which we were extremely supportive of.

"But given the involvement of 1,500 children, including six and seven-year-olds, we suggested a slightly safer route. It's not about banning any march. We've got a responsibility to look after our children."

West Yorkshire Police said: "Routes were offered to allow a smaller St George's Day Parade to go ahead, but these were rejected."

A spokesman denied the decision to change the route was to avoid potential violence.

Local Tory MP Philip Davies said: "This was a prime opportunity to promote integration in a celebration of being British. "The police and council, whether it's through political correctness or whatever, have failed miserably. It's frankly pathetic."

The Bradford riots in July, 2001, were sparked by the stabbing of a local Asian youth by National Front supporters. They ended with more than 300 police injured and 297 people arrested.