The EDL, who despite most of them having commuted into the town for their own demo on the same day, claimed to speak on behalf of the people of Cambridge by raising objections to plans to build a Mosque and Community Centre at the far end of Mill Road, to replace the smaller overcrowded one on Mawson Road.
Even a clown turned up!
Charlie Veitch was there, doing things in his own inimitable way.
The Round Church was one of the sights on the way...
Trinity Street... with the march growing bigger all the time.
No further comment needed!
Sussex Street, heading out.
A reporter risking their neck for a story...
Outside a pub with EDL members in it on King Street.
Rooms with a view!
He's F.I.T. and he knows it!
The top of King Street, showing the scale of the march.
Going past Wesley church, onto Short Street.
New Square, towards Fitzroy Street - by now the demo is huge.
Gaurding some woodwork!
Heading up Burleigh Street.
Norfolk Street, the first time I've seen a demo going up here!
Norfolk Street again, showing the scale of the march.
A CCTV van, in front of the old Roll On Tapes building, Upper Gwydir Street.
Going past The Cambridge Blue, Gwydir Street.
Some local wildlife!
The vast counter demo started quite humbly in The Market Square with some speeches from various activists, including representatives from the Anti Nazi League (ANL), and the Mawson Road Mosque, but once it set out, much like the Pied Piper of legend, the march seemed to attract more and more people along the way as it did a lengthy circuit around town, and by the time it got to Mill Road (after an odd diversion up Norfolk Street and Gwydir Street), definitely numbered in the thousands.
Head counts are difficult to do at these things, but my pictures should hopefully attest to the scale of the event.
Some of the asian shopkeepers on Mill Road were even kind enough to hand out
free Samosas and bottles of water to the marchers as they went past - very welcome, as it was by then a very hot day, and I'm sure many people were feeling hungry and thirsty after their long diversion around town, but also of course, this was their way of showing solidarity and respect to those whom had taken to the streets on this remarkable day in the history of Cambridge.
On the whole, the march went off peacefully, with just one brief flash point, when it was discovered that a couple of EDL members were in a pub on King Street, which happened to be en route for the counter demo (see picture), although Police were quick to respond and ensure nobody came to blows.
I saw a very broad cross section of people at the counter demo, authentically representing the rich ethnic mix of this old University town, where people come from all over the world to live, work and study, and where in a single walk around the town centre you might overhear words spoken in Chinese, Japanese, Slavic tongues, French, German, Hindi and much more, as well as (of course) the local English dialect.
The scale of response against the EDL was always going to be inevitably huge in such a liberal and cosmopolitan place, and in retrospect it's an odd choice for the EDL to visit, as they were never going to get much support for their (on the face of it) anti Islamic views, especially from the Mill Road community, which already has several Churches, a Mosque, and a Synagogue in the neighbourhood, as well as being a meeting place for most of the left wing community in Cambridge, along with fine dining in many different styles from all over the world.
Part 2 follows soon.