No arrests at anti-mosque protest

Police prevented the groups approaching the mosque or each other

An anti-Islamic protest near a north-London mosque has passed peacefully with no arrests.

Fifteen members of Stop Islamisication of Europe (SIOE) protested near Harrow Central Mosque against plans for a new mosque nearby.

About 200 members of Unite Against Fascism also gathered but a large police presence prevented the groups approaching the mosque or each other.

Ten people were arrested in a protest on the issue at the site in September.

Ahead of Sunday's demonstration, SIOE said it planned a peaceful protest against the building of a five-storey mosque next to the Station Road mosque.

Leader Stephen Gash previously said he would only organise a protest if 2,000 SIOE supporters pledged to turn up.

The mosque's general secretary Ghulam Rabbani urged young Muslims to stay away from the protest and "not to fall into the trap from those who clearly want to provoke you into an angry response".

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said the protest passed without incident.