Labour council backlash for Armed Forces Day kit ‘ban’

A council has been criticised for banning military equipment from its annual Armed Forces Day celebrations, citing residents' concerns about planned protests.

- ALEX CROFT

Labour-controlled City of York council made the decision to ban the equipment over fears that the Peace Pledge Union (PPU), a pacifist organisation, and ForcesWatch, which is committed to “demilitarising the future”, said they would hold protests in the city this weekend.

York marked Armed Forces Day on Saturday, following the official national commemorations last week, but city authorities banned equipment ranging from weapons to vehicles from the parade by local military groups and institutions. The city instead introduced a “brand new Armed Forces Day trail”, a self-guided tour of its key military sites with a map and guidebook.