Many residents of the Walthamstow area banded together to confront the EDL, known for their extreme right wing views, using the #wearewalthamforest hashtag on Twitter to organise a mass sit-down.

Gathering on Forest Road and Hoe Street, the protesters succeeded in disrupting the march, with cries of victory spilling onto the micro-blogging website.

Protester Holly Smith remarked: 'Police aren't going to let EDL march to the town hall. Stewards advising WAWF to sit down, might be some time...' and another, Nick Lowles, added: 'The EDL's route is blocked. #allsitdown sit down next to me...'

In addition to a strong presence on social media, the counter demonstration was publicised with the help of local mosques.

Mr Rashid, secretary of the Lea Bridge Road Masjid, told Socialist Worker: 'The only way to stop the police letting the EDL march is to make sure they are out on the streets against them.

'We’ve been publicising the anti-EDL demonstration at every prayer and event we’ve held—and we’ve received a positive response each time.'

Osman, a local market trader, added: 'It has been really good to see people coming together to oppose them. Hopefully the EDL will be stopped.'

 http://www.metro.co.uk/news/910426-sit-down-protest-by-we-are-waltham-forest-blocks-route-of-edl-march