Peaceful protest

Up and down the country the English Defence League have called for their supporters to 'march in respect' to war memorials today to lay flowers in honour of Lee Rigby, the serviceman who was murdered by two crazed young men claiming to have been acting in the name of Islam.

And up and down the country citizens who abhor all that the English Defence League stand for have made sure that the EDL were unable to spout their racist filth whilst carrying out these 'marches of respect'.

We only heard that one of these 'marches of respect' was going to take place in Norwich on Thursday of these week, which was a tad problematic as We Are Norwich had already planned to hold a 'Remember Lee Rigby but say no to racism and fascism' rally at the War Memorial and the 'march of respect' had been called to take place at the exact time that We Are Norwich would be at the memorial.

Thankfully, two representatives of each 'side' were able to have adult conversations with each other and agree that both events would take place as planned.

It was agreed that participants on the 'march of respect' walk, organised by someone who makes no bones about his allegiance to the EDL, would walk from Chapelfield Gardens to the Memorial, where We Are Norwich supporters would be already gathered.

There would be no flags, placards or banners on display, no singing or chanting and when the 'marchers' arrived at the Memorial all present would observe a minute of silence. Those who wished would then lay their floral tributes and leave.

This is a placard that a young woman had prepared, unaware that the 'no banners, flags or placards' agreement had been made and she was happy not to display it at the Memorial. Here she is at the Haymarket, just before we set off.

I hope the demonstrations in all the other cities went off as peacefully as Norwich did.

A full set of my photographs can be seen here.

I feel drained.