LANCASHIRE'S biggest-ever policing operation has been hailed a huge success after a mass demonstration by the English Defence League passed without major incident.

Around 2,000 EDL supporters descended on Blackburn from around the country on Saturday while an estimated 500 opposition protesters also gathered.

Many town leaders had feared the eruption of widespread violence but only 12 people were arrested across the day.

It is understood that around 1,900 officers from across the North West took part in the operation and MP Jack Straw said the security clampdown would end up costing taxpayers around £1 million.

Mr Straw praised the skill of the police but said many people would be angry that the ‘self-indulgence’ of the EDL would result in such a high cost.

Town centre shops also lost trade and Phil Ainsworth, of Blackburn’s Town Centre Partnership, said it had been a ‘disastrous’ retail day.

Eight-foot high steel barriers fenced in the 2,000 EDL demonstrators inside the King George’s Hall section of Northgate.

The only violence during the day was two large brawls, lasting up to 10 minutes, among the EDL protest.

Those arrested - the majority of whom were from the EDL side - were questioned for alleged offences including assault, drunk and disorderly, affray and public order.

Six of those were from Blackburn and rest from Yorkshire, the Midlands, North East and Bolton.

The counter-demonstration, said to be celebrating Blackburn’s diversity, in Sudell Cross passed without incident, except for concern over groups of youths throwing firecrackers on the floor.

Blackburn’s Mall Shopping Centre remained open from 9am until 5.30pm, with four shops deciding to close and another four closing earlier.

While numbers of shoppers were a lot lower than a normal Saturday, there were no incidents inside the centre. Extra security guards and police were deployed throughout the Mall.

Blackburn Market opened, but bosses decided to close the facility at 1.50pm amid fears of protesters descending on the area.

Around ninety officers remained on duty in the town centre until 5am, and there was no trouble reported in the evening or through the night.

Successful police tactics included:

• A lead-in operation which saw EDL coaches escorted from the M65.

• ‘Fencing in’ all the access points around the EDL in the Mincing Lane, and Northgate area which kept groups separate.

• Not using any officers in riot gear in a more non-confrontational approach.

• Deciding not to split up the EDL brawls, instead letting the group’s own stewards sort it out.

• Escorting the EDL out of town and holding back counter-demonstrators until they had left.

Chief Superintendent Bob Eastwood said: “Lancashire Constabulary and Blackburn with Darwen Council pulled off a successful operation that passed off relatively peacefully.

“People were continuing their shopping and we identified a strategy to cause minimum disruption.

“We had sufficient resources in place because of the obvious threat to community cohesion, and we were able to pull everybody together very well.”

Police said the decision to keep pubs closed until 4pm meant that, when the premises re-opened in time for the Arsenal versus Blackburn Rovers match live on television, the EDL protesters had left town.

Blackburn shops suffered a ‘disastrous’ day as many customers stayed away during the protests, according to one leading boss.

Phil Ainsworth, of Blackburn’s Town Centre Partnership and owner of Ainsworth’s Jewellers in Darwen Street, predicted the cost could run into hundreds of thousands of pounds.

But Loraine Jones, manager of The Mall shopping centre said it was still ‘quite busy’.

Only eight shops not in the restricted area closed, and shopkeepers told of their determination to stay open.

Mr Ainsworth said the fact that it was the day before Mothering Sunday, normally a busy day, made the situation worse.

He said: “It was more peaceful than a lot of us expected, but from a retail point of view it was a disaster.

“People who knew about the protests stayed away, and those who came to do shopping found they couldn’t make their way around properly.

"But I believe the measures were necessary, and congratulate the police for their success.”

Loraine Jones said: “It was quite busy in the Mall, but not as busy as a normal Saturday.

“We had no bother at all with the EDL. The police had everything under control and we had guards on every door.”

Blackburn market closed at 1.50pm amid fears protesters were heading for the venue.

Eileen Hargreaves, the vice-chairman of the market traders, said: “I think the police have done an absolutely wonderful job.”

Altaf Patel decided to keep his shop, Inspire Menswear, open, despite being yards from the EDL demonstrators on the other side of a metal fence.

It was the only business open in Town Hall Street.

He said: “I usually take £1,200-£1,500 on a Saturday. It’s the busiest day of the week, but I’ve maybe done a couple of hundred quid today.

“But that’s not the point. I kept this shop open today because of the principle.”

Jeff Stone of Jeff Stone Hairdressing in Fleming Square also stayed open.

He said: “In 40 years of being in Blackburn, nobody has told me not to open, and I wasn’t going to do that today.

“There are 20,000 Muslims in Blackburn and I think it’s tragic that a lot of them will have been too scared to come out in their home town today.”

Harry Catherall, deputy chief executive of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council said he was pleased with the way the event had been managed.

He said: “On the whole, it passed off peacefully. But I do apologise for the inconvenience that has been caused to businesses and residents on this unusual and difficult day.”

“We would have preferred the event to have taken place in a park, but the EDL had a right to apply for it in the town centre.”

REPORTING TEAM: David Watkinson, Tom Moseley, Chris Hopper, Catherine Pye, Jon Livesey and Sam Chadderton.