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

It’s totally disrespectful to our vets to have any marches this weekend and if they didn’t march then Tommy and co wouldn’t have turned up for the weekend. By marching there showing support for Hamas like sheep following clueless. Didn’t see any of them marching shouting free the kidnap victims

With the sort of tensions we are currently seeing we can normally count on the government to calm tensions, but instead they have guaranteed that the emotions will be inflamed. By suggesting that the police are somehow biased, is to invite distrust and the opinion that the police are not up to the job, thus encouraging groups like the fascists and football hooligans to somehow “try” to do the police’s job for them. Braverman should be held responsible for any trouble we see as a result of factions reacting to her call. It is her “Trump”moment. Let us hope fervently that the end result is not so dreadful.

The result will be mayhem, if the police don’t crack down hard on those out to cause trouble.

That’s what I have been saying all along, no marches or protests over this remembrance weekend.

There are another 363 days to protest/march/ hold a vigil, this weekend should have been kept to honour the fallen.

Lest we forget

maddyone

Following the defacing of a Cenotaph in Rotherham yesterday, would it be advisable for the police to rule that marches in or around the area of the Cenotaph should not be allowed, this weekend only?
A poppy seller was attacked by people in a huge crowd this week, people who have been marching on previous weekends have committed hate crimes by calling for Jews to be eliminated. Should the sanctity of the Cenotaph and the Remembrance Service be at the mercy of the marchers to choose to do the right thing? Why was a Cenotaph thought to be a legitimate target in Rotherham?
Surely those who live in our liberal democracy should understand why this weekend is particularly special to so many people. Those of us who live in this country, a liberal democracy, should understand that compared to so many people in the world, we are very lucky to live in a country that affords us great freedoms, including the right to protest peacefully. Peaceful protest however, does not include the right to call for the deaths of other people, to attack poppy sellers or others, or to deface public buildings.
Why are the London police refusing to use the laws that are already available to ban any marching around this area for for this one weekend?

* [Typo in the title has now been edited by GNHQ]

Excuse me!
I took part in a protest march the other Saturday in support of the Palestinians - I really object to you describing me as someone committing a hate crime and calling for Jews to be eliminated - no one on the march I was on was asking for that: all we were doing was showing our support for the Palestinians, NOT for Hammas, which is an entirely different matter.
Statements like yours are deeply offensive and uninformed - don't tar everybody who goes on a march with the same brush.

Agree Nicenanny

All marches should have been banned this weekend out of respect for the fallen and the veterans.

perhaps I am stupid, but I do not understand why anyone needs to do any sort of protest at such a time as the Cenotaph proceedings..

I am right of centre, but these protesters are not doing themselves or their cause (whatever that maybe) any favours.

It’s not peaceful already, thanks to the far-right - not a poppy amongst the caring, patriotic, pro-veterans, I notice - ‘march’ down Whitehall. Braverman, Sunak and their supporters, bear responsibility for this.

And to reiterate others’ posts: the ceasefire march is not going anywhere near the Cenotaph, and isn’t starting until later than 11am.

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

Looking at events around the world in the last 24 hours, if London manages to be peaceful this weekend I will be surprised and extremely relieved.

It's not all about Tommy Robinson and his cohorts, they are clearly exploiting a fraught situation for their own ends, take him out of the equation he's a troublemaker and a loose cannon. It is regrettable that he has waded in, deeply so, for veterans to be told not to wear. their medals as if patriotism is conflated with right wing extremism, which may be the beliefs amongst SOME of the younger demonstrators. Interviews with a few of those that are on the pro Palestinian march appear to be unaware of a whole gamut of factors that pertain to the very issues as to why they are protesting in the first place. They might also bear in mind that the service men and women and anybody else heading to The Cenotaph do so in deference to those who lost their lives to uphold our freedoms, the freedoms and the right to express a point of view. Personally I have found it particularly galling to see banners held up such as "Hitler was right" . Well to understand a totalitarian regime, those who laud Hitler, or indeed his communist counterparts might consider if they came up against a secret police force they might understand the true meaning of living under a far right regime. Free speech is indeed one of the tenets of our society, but it comes with a responsibility imo to allow a difference of opinion, and more importantly not to incite violence or hatred.

and not what our forbears fought for.

Anniebach

Should veterans be told not to wear their medals ?

No.
That was just one military person's opinion, I think, thinking about the safety of the veterans, many of whom are old and frail.

Should veterans be told not to wear their medals ?

Nicenanny3

Veterans going to the Cenotaph service have been told not to wear their medals while travelling because of the Pro Palestine extremists, how sad that this is happening in our country. As for Tommy Robinson and his supporters at least they are patriotic and support the veterans and no I'm not a supporter.

The sort of patriotism that Robinson and his supporters display is abhorrent and not what fought for.

Anniebach

Suddenly, such faith in police judgment

Not necessarily. Mark Rowley has got it right on this - he is following the law.

In 1981 I lived in Brixton, close to the heart of the riots. The behaviour of the police in the months leading up to the riots was inflammatory. Lord Scarman, in his report placed some blame on the police, including the use of stop and search. At the time, the Met said that lessons would be learned but they haven't been. History is being repeated.

People are gathering at the Cenotaph and a poem by Vera Brittain is being read there at 11.00am

Agreed Galaxy.

It is as being demonstrated so admirably on this thread never about freedom to march or freedom of speech. It is about power and control. The power to say these are the marches I agree with or this is the speech I approve of. The result of this behaviour leads fairly quickly to the marches or the words you approve of being shut down by a government you dislike. You have to fight for the principle of freedom to march or the freedom to speak for all or people just laugh at you.

Galaxy

No faith from me with regards to the met and policing. None.

Very sadly, I have to agree with this.
Two members of my family were in the police. Both have left, didn’t like the way things were going. Wasn’t the Met either.

GrannyGravy13

I totally disagree with Mr Robinson’s politics and his lifestyle choices.

Under U.K. law he has the same rights as anyone else to march, protest etc as long as he stays within the law.

The chants on the peace marches are racist and calling Jihad is an invitation for violence. The police should arrest those responsible and partaking.

Yes.
And thanks to the poster who pointed out that there have been 200 arrested on the free Palestine marches. I had written previously 29. So not entirely peaceful as has been claimed. Intifada has also been called for, pictures of Israeli hostages ripped down, and faces covered. Why cover faces?

As for Tommy Robinson and his band of merry thugs, they will most likely cause trouble somewhere in London.

London is not a place to be this weekend. I feel for the many elderly veterans who are hoping to be there tomorrow. The Cenotaph will be protected, but the tube? Buses? Trains? Streets?

No faith from me with regards to the met and policing. None.

Whitewavemark2

Anniebach

Suddenly, such faith in police judgment

No faith in British law.

Not a lot of faith in this government where the law is concerned.

Anniebach

Suddenly, such faith in police judgment

Some people have always had faith in the police while accepting that, being human, a small percentage will not live up to the high standards we expect, AB.