Could it be because the Metropolitan Police are notoriously heavy-handed,
and the West Yorkshire police (who dealt with the EDL rally in Nürnberg, sorry Bradford) were trying to keep the violence to a minimum by restricting both the blackshirts and their opponents to one street each, keeping them well apart?

Considering the amount of participants on both sides and the heavy police presence, a bit of scuffling and a dozen arrests was small potatoes compared to the warfare that could have occurred had the situation not been kept under control.
( The Mock TurtIe ™ --- Thinks you are a cunt, on, Mon 9 May 2011, 22:56, 1 reply)

I don't recall seeing the Met giving any muslim or EDL protesters a hard time in London either
It's weird, it's almost as if they're stand-offish when there is the potential for real violence, yet when there's little chance of resistance (like when people are screaming "This is a peaceful protest!" while, er, sitting in tents) they move in with horses, dogs and batons.
( emvee cruor deo cruoris, Tue 10 May 2011, 9:04, closed)