AS Labour councillors seek Government guidance about whether they can prevent the far-right English Defence League from holding demonstrations in Bradford, we look at what the law says.

Labour councillors seek top-level advice over banning EDL demonstrations in Bradford

- The right to protest is a legal right, enshrined in UK law by the European Convention on Human Rights. This recognises both a right to peaceful assembly and a right to freedom of expression;

- It is an offence to incite racial hatred, and in 2007 it also became an offence to incite religious hatred;

- Under the Public Order Act 1986, neither the police nor the Government have any powers to ban a static demonstration unless it is on private property;

- The only restrictions that can be placed on a static demonstration in public are around its size, duration or location;

- There are different laws for marches or processions. The Home Secretary has limited powers under the Public Order Act to use a banning order to ban a march or procession;

- Local authorities have to apply for these banning orders, with the backing of the local police;

- Home Secretary Theresa May used these powers to ban an EDL march in Bradford in 2010.