Mob rule: Police orders police to do extra to deal with protesters | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Rishi Sunak has warned that the UK is descending into “mob rule” and ordered police to make use of the powers they’ve or danger shedding public confidence.

The Prime Minister’s stark warning comes amid a surge in threatening protests round Parliament, MPs’ places of work and council chambers.

Last week pro-Palestine activists beamed a “genocidal” phrase on to Big Ben.

Protesters projected phrases from the slogan, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, which is broadly seen as antisemitic.

The Met Police have been later accused of “normalising aggressive and offensive acts” over the slur.

Earlier this month pro-palestinian protesters targetted the house of Tory MP Tobias Ellwood.

Mr Sunak advised police at a roundtable in Downing Street on Wednesday afternoon: “There is a growing consensus that mob rule is replacing democratic rule. And we’ve got to collectively, all of us, change that urgently.

“But we also need to demonstrate more broadly to the public that you will use the powers you already have, the laws that you have.

“I am going to do whatever it requires to protect our democracy and our values that we all hold dear.

“That is what the public expect. It is fundamental to our democratic system. And also it is vital for maintaining public confidence in the police.”

Mr Sunak advised police the brand new “democratic policing protocol” will assist stop Britain transferring away from democratic rule.

He advised the policing roundtable: “This makes clear the consistent and robust approach that your forces will take from now on to protect our democratic processes from intimidation, disruption, from subversion.

“We simply cannot allow this pattern of increasingly violent and intimidatory behaviour which is, as far as anyone can see, intended to shout down free debate and stop elected representatives doing their job.

“That is simply undemocratic.

“So it’s right that the Protocol commits to additional patrols, provides clarity that protests at elected representatives’ homes should be treated as intimidatory.

“And we’ve provided additional funding for protective security.”

Ministers may additionally improve the quantity of discover protest organisers have to offer the police after demonstrations value forces throughout the nation £25 million in simply two months.

Home Secretary James Cleverly is contemplating the proposal, one of many key findings by a parliamentary committee.

The Home Affairs Committee (HAC) report on policing protests discovered demonstrations, and the “disruptive tactics” of some members, are inflicting “unsustainable pressure” on policing sources.

According to the report, policing the protests between October 7 and December 17 final yr value forces throughout the UK greater than £25 million.

It value the Metropolitan Police an estimated £18.9 million and different police forces a collective £6.5 million, from the identical date to December 10.

More than 4,000 relaxation days for officers have been cancelled to make sure protests might be policed safely, the report added.

Protest teams have criticised the report, with a spokesman for the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) saying it fails to handle the necessity to “ensure the safety of this country’s Jewish community”.

The cross-party committee known as for police forces to be given larger assist to take care of protests, citing that representatives from the Metropolitan Police mentioned policing demonstrations over the Middle East battle has led to “the greatest period of sustained pressure on the Met since the Olympics in 2012”.

It mentioned: “Should these protests continue indefinitely, it stands to reason that forces will be less able to carry out the everyday neighbourhood and response policing that is so vital to the public.

“If the protests continue to take place as frequently at this scale, the Home Office should consider amending requirements for protest organisers, such as increasing the notice period for protest organisers to inform the police from the current six days, to allow the police to prepare better.”

The HAC labelled it “worrying” that the Government’s plan to deal with hate crime has not been up to date since 2020, referencing the rise in reported hate crimes and reported terrorist offences for the reason that Hamas assaults of October 7.

HAC chairwoman Dame Diana Johnson mentioned: “It is deeply dispiriting to see the fight against hate crime get stuck in Home Office limbo.”

A CAA spokesman mentioned: “Disappointingly, this report fails to address the increasingly urgent need to restore the confidence of the British public and ensure the safety of this country’s Jewish community.”