Should any marches around or near the Cenotaph this weekend not be allowed?

Indeed DrWatson. I see no point whatsoever in the marches. They will achieve nothing.

And I absolutely agree with your final paragraph.

I'd have thought the right to the freedom of speech is an essential part of democracy and what both world wars were about.

news up date:

Outbreaks of disorder marred Armistice Day as hundreds of football fans and members of the far right gathered by the Cenotaph on Whitehall.

A number of them explicitly stated that they had come because of the home secretary Suella Braverman’s comments over pro-Palestinian “hate marches” and that police treated them unfavourably compared with “politically correct minority groups”.

The former leader of the English Defence League Tommy Robinson was among a number of far-right figures present.

In the buildup to the two-minute silence elements of the crowd broke down metal gates to get closer to the Cenotaph.

Later, dozens of those present could be seen – some holding Israeli flags – attempting to reach the pro-Palestine march with the Met’s Territorial Support Group intercepting them.

............................................................................................................
I doubt that it was Jewish people trying to get to the pro Palestine march

Parsley3

I am watching the Lord Mayor's Show. That's quite a procession today. Does that take place every year on the 11th?

No - it's always on a Saturday.

Cold

So the people causing trouble during the 2 minute silence at the Cenotaph are Tommy Robinson and his followers trying to break through the exclusion zone
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12737355/tommy-robinson-supporters-whitehall-pro-palestine-protest-london-armistice-day-march-police-barrier.html

Thanks Suella for deliberately whipping up this trouble so that you can restart your party leadership campaign

I listened to an interview with Mick Hucknall last night. Never been a fan of Simply Red* (not my sort of music) but it just popped up after another interview. He was, obviously mainly talking about his life and his music but then went on to say how much he despises populist politicians because they just divide people, cause hatred but never actually put forward any solutions to the problems that they’re highlighting. They’re talking about these problems, not because they care but to further their own careers. The interview wasn’t a recent one but my first thought was of Braverman.
*now going to start listening to his music, especially his latest album that has a song about populist politicians…

12:08DrWatson

Yes well said Dr Watson

Parsley3

I am watching the Lord Mayor's Show. That's quite a procession today. Does that take place every year on the 11th?

It happens on the second Saturday in November each year.

froglady
I find your response to me both offensive and uninformed.
And exceedingly rude!

My post was neither offensive nor uniformed. I expressed a different point of view to you. In this country that is allowed. I didn’t speak about you or say anything with regard to you. However you chose to be rude and offensive to me. Having a different opinion from you is neither offensive nor uniformed, it is simply different.

As good as your post is DrWatson it will be largely ignored.

And indeed Tommy Robinson has been fighting with police.
The peace march hasn’t started yet and is nowhere near the cenotaph.

Well said Dr.Watson

I can’t find the link now. But the attack on the poppy seller never happened. No action has been taken as no crime had been committed.

Well said DrWatson

Well said! 👏

Opal

Because the "woke" brigade will label them as "racist" if they do. It's a sad indication of the new "norm" in today's society. I despair, I really do.

Precisely but I would go even further and say that the marches shouldn't be allowed at all - anywhere. I don't align with either side involved in this latest futile conflict but it does annoy and upset me when the "fight", and others like it, spills over into our country.

For Silverlining - and others on a similar theme -- absolutely NOBODY in Tehran, Hamas or Jerusalem gives a monkey's chuff what protests, marches or banner waving are occurring here, in USA, Paris, or elsewhere!

It's just 'virtue signalling' to get themselves on TV, and a complete waste of the Police's time to supervise any such gathering, It's also gross HYPOCRISY of those attempted marchers -- were they campaigning in huge numbers to stop ISIL murdering tens of thousands of Muslims - and the harmless Yazidis? Thought not. Are they out every weekend trying to stop Iran using Yemen as a token war tool, a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of MUSLIMS -- including huge numbers of the children they claim to care about? No, thought not. Wonder WHY?!!!

You could even ask why they're not campaigning about Iran's ongoing vicious and sexist campaign to keep one half of their population - the female half - as 3rd-class citizens?

Of course the Middle East situation continues to be a mess, and that won't change. Israel is established, has the backing of USA and these days Russia, as well as most of the western world, so any fruitbat ideas that Iran and other countries have about sweeping Jews into the sea is just hot air to keep their more fanatic Muslim followers happy.

I'd add on that anyone caught defacing a Cenotaph, or other war memorial, or attacking a poppy seller (etc) should - if they're of any foreign heritage -- have themselves and their entire family here deported back to where they or their ancestors originally came from. If they want to be here for a better life, fine, but that includes recognising our heritage and values. [If anyone wants to get nit-picky about we're all immigrants, going back to Romans, Angles, Saxons, etc -- please find another thread to let out that pointless waffle?!].

If I could be bothered I could search and find post after post of people talking about bias amongst the police who are now defending their unbiased approach. Well I could if the search facility worked I suppose.

Do they go every year and cause trouble?

So many in the pro Palastine protestors are covering their faces, wonder why

I would blame those causing the trouble, not the police. All of them should be treated equally, left, right or central. No favouritism or excuses.

They would have still gone Kandinsky, I really don;t think it would have made any difference. I imagine some of these men have criminal records anyway, TR does for example

I am watching the Lord Mayor's Show. That's quite a procession today. Does that take place every year on the 11th?

I would normally support the right to protest (peacefully!) but there are 365 days in the year so why today? I suspect it is to get the media attention (which has certainly worked hasn't it!). I just don't think it is appropriate.

the problem is it is orchestrated trouble and very much like football hooliganism which was organised. I suppose social media makes this all much more accessible

Exactly - Tommy Robinson wouldn’t be there if all marches / protests had been banned this weekend.
But they weren’t.

So blame the police for any trouble.