Bradford seeks to ban right-wing and rival march

LONDON (Reuters) - Bradford council applied to the Home Secretary on Wednesday to ban marches through the city over the upcoming bank holiday weekend, amid fears that protests by a right-wing group and opponents could spill over into violence.

The English Defence League, which stages demonstrations against "radical Islam," and the rival Unite Against Fascism organisation were both planning to hold processions in Bradford city centre, raising police concerns.

Previous rival marches have led to violent clashes, with 74 arrests at protests in Manchester in March and trouble at rallies in Dudley last month.

Bradford Council said it had now written to the Home Secretary to ask for a ban after a formal request from West Yorkshire Police's chief constable who said he was acting because of the "understandable concerns of the community."

The northern English city, about 15 percent of whose residents are of Bangladeshi or Pakistani origin, saw serious rioting between white and Asian youths in 2001, the worst race riots in Britain for two decades.

"We have considered the chief constable's views carefully and are writing to the Home Secretary to seek her permission to impose such an order," Bradford's chief executive Tony Reeves said in a statement.

The ban would not prevent the groups staging static demonstrations but would prohibit any public processions.

"I believe that this would be less disruptive to residents of Bradford, and would enable the Force to better manage the operation," said Chief Constable Norman Bettison, warning troublemakers to stay away.

He added: "Whatever the outcome of the application for a ban, the police role on the day will be to enable any peaceful protest to take place but we will not tolerate damage to the city, violence on its streets or any other criminal behaviour."

(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Steve Addison)