CAMPAIGNERS will rally against the English Defence League (EDL) tomorrow.

The far-right group – which opposes what it calls the “Islamification” of the country – will demonstrate outside Dewsbury railway station tomorrow afternoon.

A counter-protest has been organised by religious groups and trades unions.

Huddersfield Trade Union Council secretary Bob Stoker will be among a coachload of activists heading to Dewsbury tomorrow morning.

“As trades unionists we seek the unity of workers and we oppose the EDL’s racist policy of scapegoating Muslims,” he said.

“We think it’s important to defend our multi-cultural society.”

The Huddersfield activists will leave from outside Jumbo’s Chinese restaurant on John William Street at 11.30am. Some places are still available on the coach.

The group will take part in a celebration of multi-culturalism at Wellington Road East Car Park from midday to 4pm.

Mr Stoker said: “It will be a peaceful event to show that the majority of people in Dewsbury and Kirklees support multi-culturalism.

“We hope that 300 people from Kirklees will turn up at the event.”

The organisers of tomorrow’s multi-cultural celebration issued a statement yesterday.

It read: “We, the undersigned, strongly oppose plans by the racist English Defence League – a group linked to the fascist BNP – to demonstrate in Dewsbury on June 11.

“The EDL is a racist group dedicated to attacking Asian people and Muslims. Islamophobia –bigotry against Muslims – is as unacceptable as any other form of racism. Its aim is to divide us by making scapegoats of one community, just as the Nazis did with the Jews in the 1930s.

“Today they threaten Muslims. Tomorrow it could be Jewish people, Hindus, Sikhs, black people, lesbians and gay men, Travellers or Eastern Europeans.

“There is no place for Nazis, racists or the EDL in Dewsbury's multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-faith community.

“We urge people to support the unity of multi-cultural Dewsbury by attending the peaceful anti-racist event.”

The statement was signed by Kirklees Unite Against Fascism; Bishop of Pontefract Terry Robinson and Kirklees Unison branch secretary Paul Holmes.

But a Muslim spokesman yesterday called on people to stay off the streets of Dewsbury tomorrow.

Maulana Mohammed Amin Pandor is chairman of the umbrella group Kirklees Imams and Mosques Advisory Board.

He said he said: “We are writing to all mosques in Dewsbury to ask them to make today, June 10, a day of prayers for peace and harmony.

“We are asking imams to make a special mention in their Friday sermons urging young people to remain calm, not to be provoked and not to let the EDL disrupt our lives, as this would be a victory for them.

“Young people should also avoid the train station and not come out against the extremist EDL. We have complete confidence in our police to protect the safety of everyone, as well as crack down on those who cross the line by even a millimetre.”

A Muslim former MP for the town made a similar call this week.

Shahid Malik, who represented Dewsbury in Parliament from 2005 to 2010, told the Examiner: “The EDL have little support and the best way to deal with them is to ignore them.

“They are the misfits of our society and if you give them attention you make them important.

“The EDL is no more important than the twisted handful of Muslims who glorify suicide bombing.”

EDL members are due to arrive at Dewsbury Railway Station from 11am, where police will direct them to the Black Bull on Market Street and Jack D’s on Westgate.

The demonstration is due to take place on land close to the station, with speeches starting at 2pm.