Guard of shame

London, the Cenotaph guarded by police                                                                                                         Source: The Sun

As The Sun put it on Armistice Day: "HOW HAS IT COME TO THIS? The Cenotaph will be kept under 24-hour police guard for the first time during Remembrance commemorations as PM appeals for calm. More than 1,000 cops are being drafted in from across the country to assist the 2,000 Met officers at today’s Armistice Day march."

From X (formerly Twitter): "The Metropolitan Police say there has been 'no issues' with the protest for Palestine, which was repeatedly called a 'hate march' by Suella Braverman. Meanwhile hundreds of far right thugs are 'intent on confrontation' and violence against the main march." Photo here.

The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Michael Gove MP, may have had a different view of the 'protest for Palestine' march after being mobbed by Palestine protesters at Victoria station as may some of the police on the ground.

Victoria station also witnessed the sorry state of charity volunteer poppy sellers having to retreat from a rowdy mob of pro-Palestine protesters.

The march itself may have been relatively peaceful but there were ugly incidents as illustrated here and here. X shows some demonstrators wearing terrorist headbands while another could be heard shouting "death to all the Jews".

Some ugly banners were also shown on X. One with a swastika incorporated into the Star of David Another called for 'burning a British flag on Remembrance Day'.

Despite there being 'no issues' in the view of the Met they have requested assistance using X. Examples here and here.

Hopefully the public will cooperate but it is worrying when increasing numbers attend gatherings which cloak illegal activity. Activity which is difficult to contain given the weight of numbers. The Met's solution is surveillance followed by arrests where possible. The problem with that approach is that offenders appear to get away with it. 

How has it come to this? The problem is summarised here by bestselling author and columnist Douglas Murray.

Suella Braverman was correct when she said: "This can’t go on. Week by week, the streets of London are being polluted by hate, violence, and antisemitism. Members of the public are being mobbed and intimidated. Jewish people in particular feel threatened. Further action is necessary."

Postscript [19.11.2023]

How the West was lost (Part 3)

Israel's response to Vatican pleas

Pope Benedict XVI has held a mass at Saint Peter's Basilica to mark the close of the two-week special synod of bishops on the Middle East. In his homily he said that conflicts, wars, violence and terrorism have gone on for too long in the Middle East and one must never resign oneself to the lack of peace. Peace is possible, it is urgent and it is the indispensable condition for a life worthy of the human person and of society. Israel's initial response to pleas to "put an end to the occupation of Palestinian territories" have not been encouraging.

Pope Benedict called on Islamic countries in the Middle East to guarantee freedom of worship to non-Muslims and said peace in the region was the best remedy for a worrying exodus of Christians.

Postscript

Now read this.

Vatican Synod for the Middle East: The key?

CNN reports that Roman Catholic bishops for the Middle East have concluded their two-week conference with a call for the international community, especially the United Nations, to work "to put an end to the occupation" of Palestinian territories.

Canadian Press gives a useful summary of problems in the region while Vatican Radio has the full text of the Synod's Message to the People of God.

Tory Candidate Scrapes the Barrel for Muslim Vote

If the Tory candidate for Blackburn unseats the Secretary of State for Justice in the coming election the Conservative whip is not the whip he deserves..

The Telegraph reports today that he circulated a leaflet, now withdrawn on the orders of HQ, which challenges Labour’s claim to serve the Muslim vote.

It says:

‘“We cannot be deceived by their hollow claims. We have in front of us a whole saga of atrocities committed in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Palestine and as if this was not enough, the Labour government allowed the Israeli government to create havoc in Lebanon and Gaza in Palestine, destroying their infrastructure and killing and maiming thousands of innocent civilians. The Labour government did nothing, absolutely nothing for a number of days while the Israelis carried on their inhuman killing of innocent men, women and children.”

It accuses Jack Straw, who is the MP for Blackburn, of insulting “our religion and culture and…our sisters and mothers” by refusing to hold meetings with women constituents wearing a full veil. “We should not forget that today they are criticising our women’s(sic) veil, tomorrow it will be our caps and our beards they will attack,” the pamphlet declares.

It goes on to urge a vote for Mr Law-Riding ‘if you want to see an end to unnecessary and very expensive wars, shedding of innocent blood and save Britain from bankruptcy.”’

It is not just the leaflet that should have been withdrawn. This is not the sort of person who should represent us in British politics.