Protesters last night demanded safer streets in Bradford in their fight to end sexual harassment, violence and intimidating behaviour in the city.

More than 150 women and men joined the ‘Reclaim the Night’ march, with many carrying banners bearing slogans such as ‘Empowering women to challenge harassment’, ‘Think before you harass’, and ‘End violence to women now’.

The marchers walked from the University of Bradford, down Great Horton Road – part of which was closed off for the march – and gathered near the Alhambra theatre before heading back to the university for an after-party.

The event, which coincided with International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women, included speeches and a minute’s silence for the three Bradford murder victims of the Crossbow Cannibal, Stephen Griffiths.

The march came just days after the Telegraph & Argus reported on a Twitter user taking intrusive pictures of young women on the streets of Bradford and putting them on the social networking website.

Steffy Bechelet, women’s and liberation officer at Bradford Student’s Union, helped organise the event – a partnership between the University, Union, Bradford College and the Women’s Forum.

She slammed the Twitter user and urged people to be aware of anyone “displaying this completely unacceptable behaviour”.

“It is harassment, pure and simple,” she said. “This sort of behaviour escalates to sexual assaults and attacks.”

Speaking about the march. Miss Bechelet said it was the first one of its kind to take place in Bradford since 1978, when the Yorkshire Ripper was at large.

She added: “Students at university in Bradford have been concerned about harassment in the local area. It is not just women being harassed, but men as well. And it is men and women doing the harassment.

“There is a need for the community to stand up to harassment – to say that as a community we are not going to stand for this sort of behaviour.”

Councillor Imran Hussain, portfolio holder for Safer and Stronger Communities, said: “I fully support the march. Nobody, male or female, should be subjected to this kind of behaviour. And, in particular, women should feel absolutely safe when they walk around.

“We continue to work with police to make the streets as safe as possible. People should be able to go about their business without fear.”