THREE men were arrested after supporters of the English Defence League took to Chelmsford city centre.

About 30 members of the far right group held a protest in the High Street, which was apparently aimed at highlighting opposition to extend a Chelmsford mosque.

Retail giant Waitrose has applied to Chelmsford Council to turn the Royal Mail site, in Victoria Road, into a new supermarket.

As part of the scheme, the chain wants to swap land with the Muslim Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat of Essex, which is based behind the Royal Mail office.

The Muslim group already has planning permission to build a new three-storey community centre on the site and Muntazir Haji, secretary of the centre, told the Weekly News in March the group would be happy to swap land to help progress the Waitrose plans, which would also bring 180 new jobs.

The Waitrose plan, which is due to be decided by the end of next month, would see a four-storey community centre built for the Muslim group.

Although there is a lot of support for the plan on the council’s website, a host of online groups are rallying opposition against the plan.

A Facebook page, No Mega Mosque in Chelmsford, is promoting an e-petition against the scheme and encouraging people to object to the council.

The Essex EDL Facebook page also features discussions about the Chelmsford rally and video footage of one of the arrests.

Nobody from the EDL or the Jamaat chose to comment when contacted by the Weekly News.

The demonstration in the city centre on Saturday, July 21, lasted about two hours and police contained the crowd outside Shire Hall.

Three men were arrested on suspicion of committing a racially aggravated public order offence.

They were a 35-year-old from Rochester, Kent, a 19-year-old from Dagenham and an 18-year-old from Yateley, Hampshire.

The trio were bailed until September 9.