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| 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)
