Bury Park shopkeepers given tips for dealing with far-right protesters after Britain First '˜Christian patrol'

Britain First prompted controversy when members conducted what they called a ‘Christian patrol’ by holding up crosses and handing out literature down Dunstable Road on January 23.

Heated arguments broke out between protesters and locals going about their business and last week the Luton News revealed that Britain First plans to return to Bury Park throughout the year.

This has not gone unnoticed by a group of residents, who have taken it upon themselves to produce A5 leaflets which give dos and don’ts if the situation reoccurs.

Tips include ‘don’t stand in their way’, ‘don’t react negatively’ and ‘don’t retaliate’.

Organiser Ali Isahaq told the Luton News: “What we saw the other week was their action, now this is our reaction.

“What happened was very traumatic for the people of Luton, particularly the shoppers and shopkeepers of Bury Park.

“I was speaking to a few friends and we agreed that it was not the first time we have had problems with extremist groups.

“The aim was to go to these places to give them reasssurance that they are not alone and that it was an attack against community as a whole.

“It is also about getting people that they should not react and retaliate as some have done so in the past.”

More than 1,000 copies of the leaflets have been distributed across Bury Park and the project has gained the endorsement of the Luton Council of Mosques, as well as the town’s Council of Faiths.

While handing out leaflets the scheme’s organisers took down contact details from each business.

Volunteers will use these numbers to alert business owners if protesters reappear in Bury Park.

Mr Isahaq, 25, added: “The reaction was fantastic and everyone has been really supportive.”