Personally, I'm undecided.

I partly agree with Sandman's assessment of where tolerating this may lead - the excesses he alludes to in the US. And I agree that the EDL is clearly a response - a reactionary response at that - to the sort of fool who would do his best to cause offence by burning poppies. This just ratchets up the rhetoric on both sides and makes 'diplomatic relations' impossible.

Freedom of speech is not complete, unbridled freedom to say or do anything. One may rightfully be prosecuted for displaying an obscene placard in public for example. So let's stop pretending that there aren't in fact limits to freedom of speech. But it's hard to imagine how to legislate in a way that wouldn't close the door to other, legitimate forms of protest, and it is difficult to know where to draw the line.