A controversial mass XL Bully protest walk took place today in Birmingham and London, with organisers saying they wanted to show how "gentle" the breed is.
Police were at the scene after the protest in Birmingham was allowed to go ahead following two U-turns. At first, the meet faced an online backlash with people saying it was "dangerous and extremely irresponsible" to organise such an event.
However, it was later decided that XL Bullies aged under six months could be walked as part of the protest. It comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that the breed would be banned by the end of the year.
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Supporters of the controversial breed are in Westminster today protesting the proposed ban.
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Dog owners and supporters marched in Westminster in protest against the American Bully XL ban (Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock)Families were seen walking with XL Bully dogs at Handsworth Park today.
The small group was led by organiser Jake Harris.
(BirminghamLive)Mr Harris said he was against the XL Bully ban, believed to be brought in by the end of the year, as it will "lead to people going for a bigger and stronger breed".
He told BirminghamLive: "It shouldn't happen in my eyes to be totally honest because this ban is going to lead people to go from this breed to a bigger and stronger breed.
"They are going to go for Cane Corsos, Presa Canarios, or Belgian Malinois - dogs that do actually have a prey drive and a guarding instinct."
Bully meet organiser Jake Harris said that in his experience these type of dogs have been 'friendly, lovely and caring'.
He told BirminghamLive: "I've been around this breed (XL Bully types) since I was about seven or eight years old. I've always been around people who have had this breed and every single one I've seen have never been aggressive.
"They've always been friendly dogs, lovely, caring dogs."
In an interview with BirminghamLive, Jake Harris, an XL Bully dog owner and organiser of this Bully meet, said: "We're here to show that this breed of dog is not as aggressive as social media is portraying it is.
"These dogs ain't aggressive. Me myself, I've never seen an aggressive XL Bully. But I could take you down around seven/eight different streets in this local area that have got dogs trying to jump over a fence - trying to get at you.
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"They are German Shepherds, or Belgian Malinois, or the Dobermans or even some aggressive Labradors around here - I'll going to be totally honest."
Rishi Sunak said: "The American XL Bully Dog is a danger to our communities, particularly our children. I share the nation's horror at the recent videos we've all seen.
"Yesterday (September 14) we saw another suspected XL Bully Dog attack, which has tragically led to a fatality. It's clear this is not about a handful of badly trained dogs. It's a pattern of behaviour and it cannot go on.
"While owners already have a responsibility to keep their dogs under control, I want to reassure people that we are urgently working on ways to stop these attacks and protect the public.
"Today I have tasked ministers to bring together police and experts to firstly define the breed of dog behind these attacks with a view to then outlawing it. It is not currently a breed defined in law, so this vital first step must happen fast.
"We will then ban the breed under the dangerous dogs and new laws will be in place by the end of the year. These dogs are dangerous. I want to reassure the public that we will take all necessary steps to keep people safe."
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he is to ban XL Bully dogs as they are a "danger to our communities" by the end of the year.
The PM said it is clear this is not about a "handful of badly trained dogs but is a pattern of behaviour".
In a win for the Mirror's campaign, he said the government is "urgently working to stop these attacks".
He has tasked experts to define the breed of dogs behind a recent spate of attacks this week with a "view to then outlaw them" and ban the breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
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Steve Constantinou, who runs Spartan Kennels in Coventry, said XL Bully owners in Birmingham have been hiring out private fields so dogs can run around without a lead.
He said some were worried about the implications of the upcoming breed ban.
He told ITV News that owners were "frightened to take their dogs out". While one passer-by hid "behind a tree" as a dog walker walked past with his XL Bully.
Police are at the scene of the XL Bully dog walk.
PCs, officers on bikes and the dog handler unit have been drafted in.
Asked whether now was the best time for a gathering of XL Bully owners, Mr Harris said: "Because of social media and the platform it's reached now, there's no turning back on it - I'll be totally honest. I'm probably one of the only people that's managed to get somewhere with this kind of thing."
Explaining how the walk was organised, he said: "This has been planned for about two, three months. It wasn't meant to be some big walk that has now blown all over the social media. This was literally just a few mates coming together to have a little Bully meet." Asked whether the response to the event had been positive or negative, he admitted it had been a "mix of both".
Organiser Jake Harris said dogs aged under six months would be allowed to take part at the gathering in Birmingham on September 30, which he hopes will not be sabotaged by misleading photos on social media.
He said he initially wanted to see as many children and families as possible at the event, aimed at XL Bully owners and their pets in protest to the Government's announced plans to outlaw them after a spate of attacks.
Mr Harris then said no dogs would be allowed after an online backlash. But last week he said that XL Bullies which were still puppies would be free to be walked at the protest.
He told the BBC: "The simple fact is I don't want no camera taking pictures of a dog that's barking to go play with another dog because social media has this power to do numbers - they can portray this whole meet off one picture. So if you want to come and you want to bring a dog, bring a puppy.
"Don't bring no big, full-grown dog. It's not going to be one of them actual meets, it's turned into more of a protest."
West Midlands Police said in a statement: "We remain in contact with the organiser of the event in Handsworth and will have a presence there on Saturday.
"Officers will be in attendance to answer any questions from the public."
The controversial dog walk was arranged as organisers said they wanted to show the breed itself is "gentle" and not dangerous.
It comes after a spate of attacks, including the death of Aston Villa fan Ian Price, 52, in Stonnall, Staffordshire, earlier this month.
The XL Bully dog walk is expected to take place at Handsworth Park between 1pm and 3pm today.
It was decided that XL Bullies aged under six months would be free to be walked as part of the protest.
