A DEMONSTRATION and rally by a far right group passed off peacefully but leaving the biggest casualty to be the taxpayer.

Around 700 police officers were deployed in the operation to make sure Saturday’s rally by the English Defence League in the centre of Dewsbury did not spark serious violence.

But it means the taxpayer will have to pick up a hefty bill running into many hundreds of thousands of pounds.

There were just six arrests – two for racial abuse, two for breach of the peace, one for criminal damage and one for trespass on a railway.

Police say it is too early to give an accurate figure as to how much the massive security operation cost.

Around 400 EDL members came to Dewsbury to rally in the railway station car park.

They were surrounded by a ring of police officers and dozens of police vans to make sure they could not get into any other parts of the town.

A rival demonstration organised by the group United Against Fascism was staged in a car park around 300ft away and again passed off peacefully.

Dewsbury people have condemned the event as a massive waste of time and money and have called on both the police and the Government to think carefully before allowing such demonstrations again.

Mohammed Mustakeem owns A1 Taxis which is opposite the railway station.

“I’m around 75% down in takings,’’ he said. “It’s been very difficult to get cars either in or out of the premises and customers have kept clear of this area.

“Multicultural relations are very good in Dewsbury, we live side by side and have no differences so events like this have absolutely no impact at all. Today has achieved absolutely nothing.”