Extra police drafted in for Manchester protest and counter protest
Hundreds of extra officers will be on duty
Hundreds of police officers will be on duty in Manchester city centre on Saturday as rival protests are expected to draw large crowds.
Around 1,000 supporters linked to Britain First are expected to take part in a march, with a similar number of counter protesters also anticipated.
Greater Manchester Police say they will work to allow protests to go ahead while keeping disruption to a minimum.
March route and timings
Organisers have agreed a route with officers.
The march is set to begin at 1.15pm on Store Street, close to Piccadilly station.
It will then move through the city centre before ending at St Peter’s Square, where speeches are planned.
The event is expected to finish at around 3pm.
Increased powers and police presence
Extra officers will be deployed across the city centre throughout the day.
Officers will also be able to request the removal of face coverings under enhanced stop and search rules.
Road closures and disruption to public transport are expected, particularly along the route of the march and in nearby areas.
People travelling into Manchester are being advised to check for updates before making their journey.
Police response
Assistant Chief Constable Rick Jackson said: “The public should expect to see a large police presence in the city centre on Saturday as part of our policing operation focused on keeping people safe and minimising the wider impact during the planned protest and counterprotests.
“Disruption should be expected but we are working with partners in the city centre to mitigate this.
“We’ll have significant resources in place to facilitate protest and to ensure our local communities, businesses and visitors to Manchester can go about their day safely and with as minimal impact as possible.
Updates will be shared via Greater Manchester Police on social media, while travel advice is available online.