Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has called for a ban on some pro-Palestine protests as part of a crackdown on antisemitism following the Golders Green terror attack. In an interview with the BBC's Today programme, Starmer indicated there are instances where preventing such marches on UK streets is appropriate, similar to measures taken in France. He vowed to fight 'with every breath I have' for a diverse and tolerant Britain.
Challenge to Protesters
Starmer issued a stark challenge to those participating in protests, stating that if they hear chants of 'globalise the Intifada', they must stop and ask themselves why they are not calling it out. He emphasised the need for a 'whole of society response' to antisemitism, noting that too many people are either not seeing it or choosing to ignore it.
Police Response
On Friday, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley called for 300 extra officers to tackle the growing pandemic of antisemitism. He also considered using police powers to limit two upcoming protests: a pro-Palestine march and a rally led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson. The UK's terror threat has been raised to severe, with MI5 citing a gradual increase in threats from both Islamist and extreme right-wing terrorism.
Background
Starmer's comments came days after he was heckled during a visit to Golders Green, where protesters chanted 'Keir Starmer, Jew Harmer'. The Golders Green stabbings, in which two Jewish men were injured, are the latest in a series of attacks on Jewish sites since the outbreak of the war on Iran. Starmer urged protesters to reflect on the cumulative impact of repeated marches on the Jewish community.
He concluded: 'We all have to fight for this together because it is about the sort of country that we want to live in. I want to live in the Britain that I love, which is a decent, tolerant, live and let live, diverse Britain. But that is contested now in a way that it hasn't been contested in my lifetime. We have to fight for the Britain that we believe in with those values. That is who we are. That is what it is to be British. And I will fight for that with every breath I have.'
