Prime Minister Urges Palestinian Support Demonstrators to ‘Respect the Sorrow of UK Jewish Community’

Britain's head of government has called for protesters to honor the mourning of the UK Jewish community this week” following the Manchester synagogue attack.

Prior to a planned rally challenging the prohibition on the organization, Keir Starmer expressed that demonstrators should acknowledge this is a time of mourning.

“Non-violent demonstration is a cornerstone of our political system – and there is justified concern about the suffering in Gaza – but a few individuals have used these protests as a excuse for stoking antisemitic tropes,” he wrote.

“I encourage anyone considering protesting this weekend to recognise and honor the mourning of Jewish Britons this week. This is a moment of sorrow. It is not a time to stoke tension and cause additional distress.”

Demonstration Leaders React to Calls for Postponement

However, those protesting against the restriction on Palestine Action have said cancelling Saturday’s demonstration would “let terror win”, following demands from police and the government to cancel it after the incident in Manchester.

The interior minister, Shabana Mahmood, added her voice on Friday to calls to delay the demonstration, after law enforcement said they wanted to be able to concentrate efforts on protecting faith-based populations.

Police Commissioner Expresses Concerns

The London police chief, Mark Rowley, said that persistent rallies after the assault “could possibly create increased conflict and some might say lacks sensitivity”.

The leaders, the protest group, said in a statement on Friday that supporters, including many Jewish people, wanted the protest to continue.

They projected over a thousand participants, including religious leaders, church officials, elderly individuals and others, to participate in the event, which would involve them non-violently assembling holding banners saying “I stand against ethnic cleansing. I back the activist group”.

Legal Action Numbers

Over 1,600 people have been taken into custody at a various rallies in the UK metropolis and different places since the ban of Palestine Action was implemented.

“We stand with everyone who has suffered casualties in the horrific attack on the Manchester religious site and we stand in solidarity with the Jewish community across the UK,” the organization said in a statement.

The statement continued: “Many Jewish supporters of the group have advised that postponing tomorrow’s demonstration would risk conflating the decisions of the state of Israel with the Jewish community around the world.”

Safety Issues

Defend Our Juries repeated its criticism of the attack and requested the law enforcement “to focus on securing the community, instead of detaining entirely peaceful protesters”.

“Cancelling non-violent demonstrations allows extremism to triumph. It’s particularly vital to safeguard our political system, including our basic freedoms to civil assembly and free expression.”

Security Personnel

The police chief claimed the organization of “diverting important personnel from the populations of the capital at a time when they are most required”.

“Individuals have been discussing for the past twenty-four months whether pro-Palestinian protests are simply a call for peace, or have an underlying purpose to stir up religious prejudice,” said the official.

Rowley said the Met would request backup from law enforcement agencies across the UK to ensure it could arrest all those breaking the law in favor of the organization, while the police also provided safeguarding to communities.

Extra personnel will be deployed in the area of mosques and in neighborhoods with significant Muslim communities.

Regulatory Structure

The official continued: “People could question why we do not ban the rally, but there is no power in legislation for us to do so.”

Nevertheless, the administration-selected expert reviewer of terrorism legislation has told media outlets that police should be granted additional rights to apply for restrictions on demonstration parades in the immediate aftermath of a terrorist attack.

Jonathan Hall KC said the power should only be used to conserve law enforcement capacity.

“In cases where an urgent case where law enforcement need resources to handle the consequences of a terrorist attack, I am surprised there is no legal basis to ban a march or assembly in these specific circumstances,” Hall said.

Official Viewpoint

The Met has expressed that having to police constant protests since the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel had placed it under significant strain.

Commenting on Middle East-related rallies that proceeded on Thursday, the official said in an interview: “I was quite dismayed to see those demonstrations continuing last night. I think that behaviour is essentially against UK values. I think it is improper. I would have wanted those participants to just reconsider.”