Tommy Robinson was arrested at today's march against Anti Semitism. Today's good news. (apart from the hostage release)
From the Guardian:
In a statement the Met, asked about Yaxley-Lennon’s arrest, said: “At around 13.30 on Saturday 26 November, officers working as part of the policing and security operation for the March Against Antisemitism arrested a 40-year-old man on the Strand.
“He had refused to comply with a direction to disperse under section 35 of the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act.
“We have been in frequent contact with the organisers of the march in recent days. They have been clear about their concerns that the man’s attendance, and that of those who were likely to accompany him, would cause fear for other participants. The same view has been voiced by others.
“As a result, he was spoken to and warned on more than one occasion that his continued presence in the area was likely to cause harassment, alarm and distress to others. He was directed to leave the area but refused to do so.
“We’re aware that the man had suggested he was in the area as a journalist. This was not a relevant factor in his arrest.”
growstuff thank you for the information about where the Tommy Robinson story was reported. I wasn’t doubting it, I just hadn’t seen any news as we’d been travelling all day and we had just arrived at our hotel where I was catching up with Gransnet.
The Met got something right. Well done.
Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.
Deedaa
Yaxley Lennon should remember that in the USA refusing to comply can get you shot. He's lucky to be living in a country where he can still walk the streets spreading his poisonous views. No doubt we shall here a lot about his "victimisation"
Would you say the same re religious hate preachers, or just Tommy Robinson.
Freya5 I think the Met have got themselves in rather a pickle regarding who they arrest on the pro Palestine marches. The excuse that they are outnumbered doesn’t hold much water with me.
I am not a fan of Yaxley-Lennon /Tommy Robinson but it does appear he was easy to arrest whereas hate preachers, Hamas flag wavers and antisemitic chanters seem to be more problematic for the police to arrest.
This is leading to what some are calling two tier policing which is not good optics for the U.K. police force.
if there were to be a riot the police would attend depending on number involved
Freya5
Deedaa
Yaxley Lennon should remember that in the USA refusing to comply can get you shot. He's lucky to be living in a country where he can still walk the streets spreading his poisonous views. No doubt we shall here a lot about his "victimisation"
Would you say the same re religious hate preachers, or just Tommy Robinson.
Yes, I would say the same. Tommy Robinson knew before the march that he wasn't wanted by the organisers and that a dispersal notice would be issued if he tried to enter the area. He ignored it, knowing very well what the outcome would be and that his supporters would see him as a "victim". He wouldn't have been arrested, if he'd complied with the notice.
If a dispersal notice were to be issued for a named "hate preacher", I would expect the same outcome.
I agree with you GrannyGravy. I have no problem re Tommy Robinson being removed or arrested yesterday, but I do have a problem with people waving blatantly anti semitic banners or chanting antisemitic slogans (From the River to the Sea…..) and being left in place, thereby it is accepted and condoned.
I’ve also thought that Islamic hate preachers should have been dealt with immediately upon putting out their hate filled bile. Instead it was tolerated for far too long. Like the antisemitic banners are being tolerated now, and so becoming acceptable apparently.
One of the best-know hate preachers is currently facing charges. I'm not going to say too much about it because a warning has been issued not to discuss the proceedings in case it prejudices the trial.
If that person had announced on X (or elsewhere) that he was going to turn up at any of the marches, I would expect some kind of ban to be issued and enforced.
From what I've read, I understand that some of the people from the pro-Palestinian marches have been identified and are being investigated. The police couldn't have know who they were in advance. To be honest, I was quite surprised that there wasn't more trouble during those marches and I think the police handled them quite well. If they'd arrested dozens of people on the spot, I expect that there would have been a backlash which would have been far more difficult to manage.
I'm not sure what people expect the police to do. If they had gone into the crowd to arrest those who were clearly breaking the law by being provacative many people could have been hurt. Most of the protesters were marching peacefully and they would have been caught up in what would have been a battle if the police had gone in.
We don't know that the police are not keeping a close eye on those who are shouting "jihad" or know who they are.
its NOT Hamas' flag its Palestines .The Palestinian people are not terrorists ...no more than Israeli's who have burned people out of their homes or demolished their home in front of the people who have owned it for centuries or the IDF ...dont they shoot KIDS WHO THROW STONES?
There are massive problems from BOTH sides
We know what the Palestinian flag looks like.
Black, white and green horizontal stripes with a red triangle.
Not all are flying that flag, some are flying the Hamas flag.
Callistemon I think most people who have watched the news since 7/10 know the difference between the Hamas flag and the Palestinian flag.
Paddyann54 will take any small opportunity to use shouty capitals and educate us
I just searched on Google images for "london march hamas flag". The Telegraph came up with a couple of images of a black "jihadist" flag, but I couldn't see any green Hamas flags (they're probably there somewhere, but not very visible). On the other hand there are hundreds (if not thousands) of Palestinian flags.
I have no doubt that the police photographers were in action for both the prop Palestine and the anti semitism marches. After all there were helicopters overhead.
And I also have no doubt that some police, somewhere ill be sifting through all those photos in order to idenity trouble makers.
Flags aren’t the problem, banners with antisemitic pictures or antisemitic phrases are the problem.
I’m no fan but he should be treated the same as everyone else. Some pure racists and antisemites were on the other marches and called distress to people attending Remembrance Sunday events
GrannyGravy13
BlueBelle
I disagree with GG and Annie the man should not be walking around a free man he should be behind bars
Him and his ilk are what’s making this country such a nasty place
Good for the MetYou have missed the point, I neither like or admire him, but I am concerned that its possible to be arrested (not charged) for one’s political views l.
he is not being arrested for his views. He was issued with a dispersal order because of his previous behaviour and was arrested because he didn't not comply withthe dispersal order.
Absolutely fine with the arrest of TM but concerned the police do not seem to be always applying the same rules to everybody. Always easy to blame the police but what a job they have to do nowadays!
I agree withh Granny Gravy. Some of the extremr Palestines act racist when marching with their banners and chanting,but they never get arrested. We have to watch what we say now as we are all being called extreme Right Wing to to have our own opinions. A lot of what Tommy Robinson has said in the past has been the truth.
No matter if you don’t like him or not he was marching with everyone else. Maybe he had a reason but it’s not against the law to march is it. But then it depends what side you are on and what flag you want to wave. Would have liked the police to show what they paid for over the last few weekends and not just saying we are watching videos. Why should everyone else have a fear of going into the city’s on a weekend it’s looking very one sided. I’m not a fan of Tommy but we can’t have ppl shouting death to the Jews neither and not arrest at the same time. That’s double standards
I don't have thoughts about Tommy Robinson, one way or the other, but I do think the police are extremely swift in arresting him while ignoring the same behaviour in others. I think the fact that he's a white working class male goes against him, and the fact that we have a two tier system of policing in this country nowadays.
I have to reiterate that I am not a Tommy Robinson fan (there are things I agree with him on, and things I don't) but I think he's become an enemy of the state for standing up and speaking the truth about what was going on in certain cultures. Things that are not part of our culture and which we, as a nation, find distasteful.
The police and M15 have a list of people they are concerned about as extremists. Yet they are not arrested for their political beliefs. Prevent, the organisation (public funded, of course) set up to do just that is a laughable failure as it soft pedals too much. That Choudhary man, preaching hatred, gets away with his abhorrent behaviour. How do we know how many extremists were on those marches? We don’t. The Met had to post fuzzy pictures appealing for the public’s help in identifying people they were ‘concerned’ about which is pretty pathetic. Tommy Robinson is SUCH an easy target so the failing Met can boast of their ‘robust policing’! I dislike Robinson’s political beliefs, let’s make it clear. He does himself or any cause he is associated with no favours. But yes I do think the Met are politically motivated in this instance and in many others (And not just the Met). At the very least they do NOT appear to police ‘without fear or favour’. They seem terrified of offending. Why else do they employ well know Palestinian sympathisers as ‘advisers’. Which they DO, and pay them out of our taxes! There is SO much going on behind the scenes that the good old British public are not supposed to know about. Keep us happy with the arrest of a well known right winger and use a legitimate piece of law to justify it. Happened with Nigel Farrage’s bank too, among others, when the banks didn’t like their politics! If you don’t hold the correct political ideology, God help you in today’s Britain. I’m angry and saddened that this is happening in my country NOW and that freedom of speech is only permissible if you are saying the approved words. Welcome to Orwell’s 1984. Enjoy.
greenlady102
GrannyGravy13
BlueBelle
I disagree with GG and Annie the man should not be walking around a free man he should be behind bars
Him and his ilk are what’s making this country such a nasty place
Good for the MetYou have missed the point, I neither like or admire him, but I am concerned that its possible to be arrested (not charged) for one’s political views l.
he is not being arrested for his views. He was issued with a dispersal order because of his previous behaviour and was arrested because he didn't not comply withthe dispersal order.
Do you want to share my brick wall greenlady? I'm afraid the facts are ignored by those who are blinded by their own agenda.
JRTW2
I’m no fan but he should be treated the same as everyone else. Some pure racists and antisemites were on the other marches and called distress to people attending Remembrance Sunday events
That is precisely why a number of them have been arrested and charged.
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