Pro-Palestinian protests described as 'un-British' following Manchester terror incident, British home secretary states
News Agency
The Interior Minister expressed disappointment that pro-Palestinian demonstrations proceeded on Thursday evening following the terror attack that took two lives near a synagogue in the city of Manchester.
Britain's top security official additionally urged protesters to "reconsider" from intentions to hold protests in the next few days.
"I believe that continuing in this way seems contrary to British values, it seems wrong," she remarked concerning protests scheduled for this week.
Protesters in central London protesting the Israeli navy stopping a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza clashed with law enforcement outside Downing Street on Thursday evening.
Large crowds displaying Palestinian flags and banners could be spotted on Whitehall into the evening.
The police force stated that fourty individuals had been arrested. Six of those apprehended were charged with attacks against law enforcement personnel.
"It is important to make a distinction between events unfolding in the Middle East and situations developing at home," the home secretary remarked on a television interview on Friday morning.
"My message would be to people who are intending to participate in a protest is to just take a step back for a minute, and think about if you had lost a loved one to a terror attack in this nation," she added.
There were "robust" powers to protect the freedom to demonstrate, she stated, but they could be set aside on the recommendation of the police.
"I can take my lead from the law enforcement, if they were to advise me there was an inability to respond and to oversee the demonstrations, then there are authorities that are available," she elaborated.
Jewish community leaders voice concerns
Britain's Chief Rabbi stated that many people of the Jewish community questioned why protests in solidarity of Palestinian advocacy groups had been permitted to take place.
The group was outlawed as a terrorist organisation in the summer. At numerous protests following the ban, hundreds have been arrested for expressing solidarity for the organization, which has obtained authorization to dispute the proscription.
"Some of them include explicit anti-Jewish sentiment, outright backing for the militant group. Not all participants, however there is so much of these elements, which undoubtedly represents dangerous to many within our community," the chief rabbi remarked.
"You cannot separate the words on our public spaces, the conduct of individuals in this manner, and what ultimately follows, which was yesterday's terror incident."
Additionally, he appealed to the administration "once more", to "take control on these demonstrations, they are risky."