An official review is poised to recommend a legal amendment empowering the police to prohibit pro-Palestinian marches, citing their potential impact on the Jewish community. The Telegraph has the story.
Lord Walney, the Government’s independent adviser on political violence and disruption, said British Jews were facing an “emergency” because of an “explosion” in antisemitic incidents linked to the marches.
John Woodcock, a former Labour MP, was ennobled as Lord Walney in 2020. He resigned from the party to sit as an independent in 2018 amid the antisemitism scandal, and in 2021 was asked by Boris Johnson to lead a review into political violence and disruption.
Lord Walney was on the cusp of submitting his review, but following the October 7th Hamas attacks on Israel has agreed with the Home Office to update it in light of the “fallout” on British streets.
The peer told the Telegraph that he would be specifically “looking at the threshold for the police to ban a march”.
Currently, police can apply for a public procession to be banned under the Public Order Act if there is a risk of serious public disorder. But Lord Walney said the bar was set too high because it did not consider the wider impact of demonstrations on vulnerable groups.
“I think the atmosphere that’s grown in London since October 7th is showing that the current framework is not set right,” he said. “It can’t take into account the effect that these marches are having on Jewish people, and across the U.K.”
He said he was “hugely sympathetic” to an argument from the Community Security Trust that this weekend’s demonstrations should have been called off because the pro-Palestinian protests have fostered anti-Semitic incidents. …
The Telegraph understands that Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, is sympathetic to the proposed change.
Worth reading in full.
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I would certainly support a great deal more transparency on the sources of funding for many of these groups.
Some of them may very well be funded by Iran: ‘In 2020, the State Department estimated that Iran gave Hezbollah $700 million a year. In the past, Tehran had historically given $100 million annually to Palestinian groups, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
I would also support Lord Frost’s call for marches to be banned on key dates: Remembrance Day in particular.
“I would also support Lord Frost’s call for marches to be banned on key dates”
Could that not be used to prevent an anti-lockdown march if it was held on “Covid Memorial Day”?
That would depend on which dates are defined as ‘key dates’.
In fact it is a ‘National Day of Reflection’ that is mooted.
If an ‘anti lockdown’ march was organised as a march for freedom, to ‘reflect’ on those killed by lockdowns, it is unlikely that it would be deemed provocative.
Marching through London on Remembrance Day shouting “Khayber Khayber ya yaud jadish al Mohammed sauf yaud” through a megaphone is quite clearly provocative, intimidatory; fascist.
You make a good point and I think, on reflection, that I probably agree with you.
Nevertheless, the provocative ‘pro-palestinian’ march at the weekend was very expensive to police so the country at large may very well take a different view….
Thanks for your thoughts.
“it is unlikely that it would be deemed provocative” I thought it was unlikely that a UK government would force people to stay in their homes, stop them seeing their loved ones, suspend normal life for an extended period, and force people into getting an experimental “medical treatment”.
I haven’t really followed the “pro Palestine” marches but my guess is that various strands of opinion were represented, from well-meaning people who genuinely care about stopping suffering, have thought at length about the Israel situation and have considered views on it, right through to the kind of thing you describe. I tend to think that the issue is that it may appear to many that we have in our midst large numbers of people who don’t share our values and we have enough problems of our own without importing a lot more. If the Muslim population of the UK was tiny then I think the whole debate around the protests would be much less heated and less prominent.
If there were large numbers of people wanting to march calling for a humanitarian ceasefire without appearing to support Hamas, calls for jihad or the destruction of Israel they should organise their own march and make it clear that Palestinian flags, pictures of hang gliding terrorists or extremist chants aren’t welcome. If people are happy to march with people calling for jihad or whatever vile things they do then these people are stating they agree with the ethos of the march which was clearly antisemitic and therefore a hate demo.
Well I’ve not seen anything first-hand but would be inclined agree with you if what you say is accurate. I get the impression others here might take issue with what you’ve said.
I’m still wary of using the word “hate” as a criteria for banning something (though I appreciate you are not advocating this).
It isn’t accurate. He’s guessing cos he wasn’t there. MSM picks a few sound bites and fans the flames as they want a race war. They hate all things static – it’s why they thrive on conflict – as Jon Stewart says ‘it’s where careers are made’. Nobody who can actually JOIN THE DOTS gets promoted in the mainstream.
Did you fall for all the propaganda for the past 3 years Matt? No? then why fall for it now? Or do you think that suddenly, overnight, the mainstream media is now telling the truth? There were no calls for the destruction of Israel (jihad means ‘struggle BTW) which would have been awkward being as how there were so many Jewish people on the march. And why aren’t Palestinian flags allowed Matt? Oh, so you don’t recognise a state of Palestine? Maybe you’re the racist.
Nobody chanted that Ian – you weren’t there. So unless you have a recording then it’s just propaganda, along with 40 beheaded babies which CNN has already admitted was garbage. You lot are so gullible.
@sarasidnerCNN
‘I would argue we were mislead. I am going to report on what heads of governments say. That is what new orgs do. It doesn’t mean it’s true but it’s news’.
No love, it’s propaganda.
So much for the Free Speech Union aye Ian? Hypocrites. Maybe change the Daily Sceptic to The Daily. Or just call it Telegraph II and have done with it.
Problem, reaction solution.
Stop falling for this divisive rhetoric.
This issue is being used to ban the right to protest, all protests not just causes one disagrees with!
It’s being used to distract us whilst other aspects of the control grid are being implemented whilst we look away.
We already live in an authoritarian, tyrannical country despite the illusion of democracy. No further tyrannical measures are wanted nor desirable.
https://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/how-the-west-was-lost-part-2/
An excellent second in a series of four from Dr Campbell Campbell-Jack at TCW which highlights the myths of multiculturalism and diversity.
“There is a danger of growing ill will among native Britons at unequal treatment. In 2020 more than 150 people were arrested at an anti-lockdown protest in London; in 2023 protesters called for jihad against Israel and clambered on the Cenotaph waving Palestinian flags, and the police stood by. Christians can be arrested for silently praying in the vicinity of an abortion clinic, yet hundreds of Muslims can kneel and pray at the gates of 10 Downing Street without hindrance. These disparities of treatment can only stoke up already existing community resentment.”
Just so there is no misunderstanding – I am sick to the back teeth of multiculturalism and diversity.
I’m with you on the inconsistencies of policing & the ongoing push to silence the views & culture of indigenous population.
Allowing those valid concerns to be conflated, used & abused by the MSM to further the evil agenda is a different matter.
We need to keep cool heads, be alert to their evil tactics & call out the evil actions.
https://off-guardian.org/2023/11/12/watch-3000-jews-and-muslims-sing-together-just-five-years-ago/
Just found this BB.
I was going to write a post to say exactly this, but you express it perfectly.
We’re being railroaded into a de facto elimination of free speech and the freedom to protest.
Thank you Stewart.
By the Free Speech Union. Couldn’t make it up.
Incitement to hatred and violence.
“Incitement to hatred and violence.” does not exist except when it suits the authorities or special interest groups. People choose their own course of action whether through weakness or a destructive nature.
Yes, indeed. The issue also serves as a honeypot of opportunity to distract attention away from Ukraine proxy war going badly for Uncle Sam and his lackeys, Russia prospering despite sanctions, the ‘safe and effective’ vax narrative being seen as a lie, cross Channel illegal, migration, climate crisis scepticism growing and ULEZ fightback are but a few of the issues the MSM/Government feel uncomfortable with.
The pro-Israel stance of many UK politicians on all sides who have been in a position to influence policy over the years, and also within the legal profession, is without doubt.
It therefore seems fair to question whether, amongst other detrimental policies, the inaction over illegal immigration is the consequence of their relationship with the Israeli regime?
Thanks downvoters, a convincing argument well presented.
Question asked.
Answer: no.
Like the pro Israel stance of Jeremy Corbyn and all those who supported (and still support) him? There’s votes in them there mosques and madressas!
Supprised at downvotes? Promote Sharia Law and see how many you get!
The Jeremy Corbyn smeared out of his leadership for not being pro-Israel. It’s the power of special interest groups that matters.
Daily Sceptic, words fail me!
Are you really suggesting that the Palestinians do not have a valid point of view?
Can you not see where this bigoted stance leads?
Celebration of slaughter and butchery, hatred a valid point of view.
Great point well made by Grant Shapps here ( 2mins );
”Extraordinary moral clarity from the British Defense Secretary here:
“If that terrorist attack a month ago had been on Britain and 1,400 Brits had lost their lives, the idea that we wouldn’t pursue the terrorist organization when we knew where they were and that anyone would tell Britain that we shouldn’t do that, I think would be rather improbable and extraordinary, and therefore Israel do have a right to do that.”
He added “Israel are going out of their way to try and protect civilians [in Gaza].”
https://twitter.com/Ostrov_A/status/1723663396166357287
Actually what I would like to see banned across the board is face coverings in public. Nobody has any valid reason whatsoever to cover their faces, but isn’t it always the crazy nutjob extremists in any type of protest that do this? What are they afraid of? Revealing their identity as a certifiable lunatic?
Nobody should serve anyone in a shop who has their face covered either, for instance. But I feel this is something else which has been almost normalized due to the Plandemonium years. When in 2019 did anyone see people covering their faces outside of a dentist’s or hospital theatre? Now nobody bats an eyelid at a muzzled muppet, and seemingly we can now add the Hamas fanclub, wearing their tea towels across their faces, to the list of loony f*ckwits.
Parliament gifted government agencies the authority to engage in illegal activities when it suits their own ends. When agitators are present whose actions may offer the government an opportunity, the default position should be to assume they may be working directly or unwittingly on behalf of the authorities.
Do you ever listen to the increasingly trashy racist junk you spout?
Its embarrassing.
And yet here you are. Triggered enough to react. Again…
I don’t sweat deranged people.
These comments do seem increasingly extremist. If you had grown-up on the other side of this, do you think you would now be one of the more radical Hamas supporters?
Why would those who have the power to influence these conflicts and have such a disregard for their fellow humans not look to another unworthy group to dispose of once their first objective has been met? Careful what you support.
Define ”extremist”. Funnily enough, call me a weirdo but never in a month of Sundays would I ever support a terrorist organization made up of barbarian, sadistic, death-obsessed Jihadis. Perhaps you need to see a shrink if that’s your bag though.
You do – it’s called Israel.
Seconded.
That’s over a month since the Butchery and Barbarism in Context mob have been promising to flounce off and yet, here they are still paying their subs and treating us to their anti-zionist conspiracy theories.
Let’s hear it for Dresden eh Moggers?
They have previously banned or restricted EDL protests, therefore no new powers are required.
Liberty have a detailed explanation with links to the relevant statutes of the many new powers given the police. See https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/advice_information/pcsc-policing-act-protest-rights/
We may conclude that the hand-wringing pantomime indulged in by Mark Rowley and Sunak ( and indeed as suggested in this article, Walney ) is simply to enable the planned confrontation and intimidation to go ahead
Rowley and Sunak pantomime indeed. There are already more than enough powers on the statute books to have stopped the marches this weekend.
Name them.
They are not protests, they are gleeful celebration of the slaughter and butchery of Jews, and support and encouragement for more.
They incite hatred and violence – those involved them should be deported.
Don’t think the Jewish people on the march saw it that way. But you know better especially as you weren’t even there.
Well I’m fairly pro-Israel in this but I think we should be very careful when calling for “banning” of protests or speech. Who decides, and how? Based on what criteria?
The right to protest in this country is older than the State of Israel. Remove it at your peril.