Palestinian-supporting demonstrations labeled 'un-British' following Manchester terror incident, UK interior minister asserts

Protest scene Media Source

Britain's Interior Minister voiced disappointment that pro-Palestinian protests went ahead on Thursday after the terrorist incident that claimed the lives of two men near a Jewish place of worship in the city of Manchester.

Britain's top security official also called on demonstrators to "pause" from plans to hold protests in the next few days.

"I believe that carrying on in this fashion seems un-British, it feels wrong," she stated about protests scheduled for this week.

Demonstrators in downtown London protesting the Israel's naval forces stopping a aid convoy transporting humanitarian assistance to Gaza had confrontations with police officers outside the Prime Minister's residence on Thursday night.

Large crowds carrying Palestinian flags and placards could be spotted on the government district throughout the evening.

The Metropolitan Police announced that 40 people had been detained. A half-dozen of those apprehended were charged with assaults on law enforcement personnel.

"It is important to draw a line between what is happening in the Middle Eastern region and what is happening at home," the home secretary told a breakfast show on Friday morning.

"I would say to individuals who are considering to participate in a demonstration is to pause and reflect for a minute, and imagine if you had suffered the loss of a family member to a terror attack in this nation," she continued.

There were "strong" authorities to protect the right to protest, she noted, but they could be overridden on the recommendation of the police.

"I can act based from the police, if they were to inform me there was an inability to respond and to control the protests, then there are legal measures that are accessible," she explained.

Jewish community leaders voice worries

Britain's senior rabbinical leader stated that many members of the Jewish community questioned why marches in support of Palestinian advocacy groups had been allowed to proceed.

The group was outlawed as a terror group in the summer. At various protests after that, hundreds have been arrested for demonstrating backing for the group, which has won permission to challenge the proscription.

"A portion of them contain blatant anti-Jewish sentiment, outright support for Hamas. Not everyone involved, however there is considerable of this, which clearly poses risky to many within our community," the chief rabbi remarked.

"It's impossible to disconnect the rhetoric on our public spaces, the conduct of individuals in this way, and what subsequently occurs, which was yesterday's terror incident."

Additionally, he appealed to the administration "once more", to "get a grip on these protests, they are harmful."

Jessica Luna
Jessica Luna

Environmental scientist and sustainability advocate passionate about reducing carbon footprints.