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Police used their powers to block a pro-Palestine protest in London on Saturday following Rishi Sunak’s warning that demonstrations and democracy itself have been being “targeted by extremists”.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign singled out Barclays Bank for its day of motion, assembling at almost 50 places together with the department on Tottenham Court Road in central London.
Protesters marched from Mornington Crescent to the Barclays department, accompanied by the controversial “from the river to the sea” chant and flanked by a mass of cops.
At the Barclays department on Tottenham Court Road, the police blocked protesters and ordered them to maneuver throughout the street citing Section 14 of the Public Order Act.
Luca Salice, 67, co-chair of the Camden Palestine Solidarity Campaign, dismissed the prime minister’s rhetoric round extremists as an election ploy and stated protesters have been truly grateful for the police.
“Rishi Sunak is losing an election. He is scrambling”, Mr Salice stated, including: “I don’t think our protests are extremist. I don’t see how being in favour of human lives is extremist.”
The protesters stated they focused Barclays due to its alleged ties to firms supplying weapons to Israel
(PA)
Mr Salice, an Italian who now lives in Camden, added: “There could be one or two extremists who come into the protests. I can’t say that is impossible and luckily we have the police here, who are working with us.
“They are helping us organise this protest and making sure they are safe. And whenever they see the odd person who may do something wrong, it is up to them to arrest them.”
Speaking at a lectern outdoors Downing Street on Friday night, Mr Sunak urged protesters to forestall extremists from infiltrating their ranks and warned of extra stringent policing.
The Tory chief stated: “I want to speak directly to those who choose to continue to protest: don’t let the extremists hijack your marches.
“You have a chance in the coming weeks to show that you can protest decently, peacefully and with empathy for your fellow citizens.”
Paul Woof, 64, from Dulwich, who attended the protest with an indication that learn: “Do I look like an extremist?”, known as on politicians to witness the protests first-hand.
He stated: “These people ought to go on a march and see the sort of people who are on these marches, a lot of whom are Jewish.
“It’s astonishing the rhetoric”, he stated, including: “They know it isn’t true. They are talking to their grassroots faithful to try and stir up division in this country.”
Rishi Sunak giving a press convention in Downing Street on Friday
(PA Wire)
In his Friday tackle, Mr Sunak stated demonstrators ought to have the ability to “march and protest with passion” however “cannot call for violent jihad” or “call for the eradication of a state or any kind of hatred or antisemitism”.
“I say this to the police, we will back you when you take action,” he stated, confirming that senior police chiefs can be anticipated to police fairly than merely handle pro-Palestine protests.
In London, PSC focused Barclays branches in Croydon, Hammersmith, Haringey, Harrow, Newham, Redbridge, Southwark, Streatham, Tower Hamlets, Willesden, and Wimbledon.
It comes after the house secretary James Cleverly stated pro-Palestinian protesters had “made their point” and questioned: “What are these protests genuinely hoping to achieve?”
PSC has known as for a boycott of Barclays as a result of it claims the British financial institution holds “substantial financial ties” with arms firms supplying weapons to Israel.
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