On Saturday my thoughts as we march against the EDL will be with the people who can’t march, the people who are advised not to step out in their own city. The advice from the police to the Muslim community is absolutely right -; to stay away from the EDL, to avoid giving them the trouble they crave.  But that shows what is so wrong with the EDL and their fellow travellers. They now don’t stand for election because they know they have no support. Instead they turn up in peaceful, tolerant cities like ours  to make trouble and to try and instil fear. And to a limited extent, they succeed.  They have had far too much publicity from this stunt.  A handful of people -; totally unrepresentative, causing huge cost and disruption.  And stopping members of our community going about their lawful business.

We are a tolerant community -; but the intolerant EDL test our tolerance to the limit. Our message to them is clear. Our tolerance is a sign of our strength.  Their intolerance shows only weakness.

The vast majority of  people in Cambridge reject the EDL. We oppose everything they claim to stand for.  We stand proudly alongside those they wish to intimidate. And we know that in so doing, we demonstrate why our democratic  way is so much stronger,  and why it will prevail.