Rishi Sunak warned that Britain risked descending into “mob rule” as he urged the police to do more to stop disruptive protests.
The prime minister said the nation’s democratic institutions needed better protection from “intimidation, disruption [and] subversion” amid a wave of Gaza ceasefire protests that has targeted parliament and MPs’ homes.
Sunak told police chiefs gathered at Downing Street that they should shut down demonstrations that were deemed unacceptable. He made clear that police forces would have the full backing of ministers in taking tougher action within the existing laws.
• James Cleverly: You’ve made your point — now end Gaza protests
“There is a growing consensus that mob rule is replacing democratic rule,” Sunak said. “And we’ve got to collectively, all of us, change that urgently.”
Advertisement
Ministers have drawn up new guidance for policing protests after MPs’ homes were targeted and pro-Palestinian activists were encouraged to force parliament to “lock its doors” before last week’s ceasefire vote.
• When is the next pro-Palestinian protest — and could police stop it?
Sunak said: “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.”
Protests at politicians’ offices or political events should not cause distress to those attending through abusive words or disorderly behaviour, according to a new “defending democracy protocol”. Any protest at the home of an MP or councillor should also generally be considered to be intimidatory under the protocol.
The police were told that any such demonstrators should be dispersed using powers contained in section 42 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001. An immediate response would be required.
Advertisement
In the run-up to the general election, ministers are endeavouring to protect MPs and candidates. Police forces will be required, when notified of a protest at an election event, to speak to the organisers at least 48 hours in advance and put in place an “appropriate” policing response.
Guidance will also be issued by the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure that all officers are aware of the powers they can use. Particular care will be taken to ensure that officers policing protests in Parliament Square understand when they can intervene.
Those attending the meeting at No 10 included chief constables and senior figures from Scotland Yard, as well as representatives from the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners. After thanking police chiefs for their work handling protests since the Hamas invasion of Israel on October 7, Sunak suggested that a more consistent and robust approach was required.
• The Times view on pro-Palestinian marches: Demonstrating Restraint
“We also need to demonstrate more broadly to the public that you will use the powers you already have,” he said. “I am going to do whatever it requires to protect our democracy and our values that we all hold dear.”
Advertisement
All police and crime commissioners and chief constables have been told to report back by April on how they have implemented the protocol.
Ministers have become increasingly concerned about hostilities against politicians, which culminated last Wednesday when the Commons Speaker broke with parliamentary precedent. Sir Lindsay Hoyle said he did so, in part, due to concerns about the impact of a backlash on MPs’ safety.
Organisers of pro-Palestinian marches vowed to continue the demonstrations despite calls from James Cleverly, the home secretary, that they should end. They said the protests were peaceful and disproportionately over-policed. Estimates suggest that the protests have cost £25 million to police and caused thousands of rest days for officers to be cancelled.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) hit out at what it called “growing attacks on the right to protest”. The group’s director, Ben Jamal, said people would “continue to march in huge numbers because the genocide has not stopped”.
He vowed to push back against the “repressive environment” being “whipped up” by the government. After the home of Tobias Ellwood, a Conservative MP, was targeted by pro-Palestinian protests, Jamal said he did not support holding protests outside politicians’ homes. However, he added that demonstrations outside MPs’ offices, council buildings and the Houses of Parliament were legitimate.
Advertisement
On Saturday the PSC is planning to bring chaos to Barclays by targeting protests at dozens of bank branches across the country. The group says the bank has financial ties to arms companies that sell weapons to Israel. This month the protesters claimed to have co-ordinated 1,500 Barclays customers to close their accounts.
