An MP is urging the government to consider deploying the military to ensure there is no disruption to Remembrance Day after pro-Palestine demonstrators said they intended to hold a ‘million-man’ march on November 11.
Crawley MP Henry Smith told the Express: “After consecutive weekends of demonstrations where the Cenotaph and other national monuments have been grossly disrespected, it’s completely inappropriate for further protests to be held over Remembrance weekend.
“I don’t have confidence in the Mayor of London or Metropolitan Police under him to properly handle the situation given their past poor record, and call on the Government to consider deploying military assistance.”
Security Minister Tom Tugendhat has also written to the Met asking them to stop the march going ahead.
Met Police Chief Sir Mark Rowley reportedly told the London Assembly the protesters “will not be allowed near the official events or to disrupt them”.
Greater Manchester Stop the War Coalition is advertising a coach to take protesters to the November 11 march. The organisation said: “We must continue to show solidarity with the people of Palestine and demonstrate against the genocide being carried out in Gaza.
The advert for a coach to London by Greater Manchester Stop the War Coalition
"We need a million people on the streets of London on Sat 11th Nov! From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!”
The latest demonstrations have sparked controversy, with Home Secretary Suella Braverman branding them “hate marches”.
Last weekend an estimated 100,000 people marched through the capital demanding a ceasefire while chanting “from the river to the sea”, widely understood to be a call for the destruction of Israel. Some could also be heard singing “intifada, from London to Gaza”.
The Met was heavily criticised over the way it policed the demonstration. One former detective, Peter Bleksley, said: “This is sick behaviour. The Met said they would crack down on this sort of thing and quite simply they haven’t. It’s appalling.”
Conservative MP and former cabinet minister Simon Clarke told The Sun: “We should not have these scenes of hatred and bigotry on our streets.”
Tom Tugendhat, the security minister, told Times Radio that protesting against Israel’s bombardment of Gaza on Saturday, November 11, was “not an appropriate time” because it could spill over to the Sunday and clash with the traditional service at the Cenotaph on Whitehall.
He wrote to the Metropolitan Police, the London mayor Sadiq Khan and Westminster Council to request they prevent any protests going ahead.
