UK home secretary Suella Braverman is being blamed for inciting more far-right violence after calling for “further action” against pro-Palestinian marches in London.
Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets in the British capital city on Saturday to show solidarity with the innocent people of Palestine, demanding an end to the Israeli regime’s war of genocide in Gaza.
The rouge home secretary, on Sunday, slammed the clashes that broke out with police during the rallies, even though the violence was linked to a far-right counter-protest which led to violent scuffles..
“This can’t go on. Week by week, the streets of London are being polluted by hate, violence, and antisemitism. Members of the public are being mobbed and intimidated. Jewish people in particular feel threatened. Further action is necessary,” she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
She described the slogans chanted at the mass pro-Palestine rallies as “criminal.”
“The sick, inflammatory and, in some cases, clearly criminal chants, placards, and paraphernalia openly on display at the march mark a new low,” she said. “Anti-Semitism and other forms of racism together with the valorizing of terrorism on such a scale is deeply troubling.”
Despite her remarks, the UK’s Metropolitan Police (MET) said the rightwing counter-protesters had made up the “vast majority” of 145 arrests made by the law enforcement agency on Saturday.
MET described the clashes between its officers and the right-wingers as “extreme violence” and said the political debate about policing protests had combined “to increase community tensions.”
Braverman has been described by friends and foes alike as being recklessly irresponsible and incendiary.
She aroused No.10’s fury by ignoring Downing Street’s request that she tone down an opinion piece for the Times.
In the controversial article for The Times, she branded Saturday’s pro-Palestine protest a “hate march” and accused the police of “playing favorites” among protestors and taking a tougher line against rightwing protests.
Sunday’s remarks by Braverman indicated that she was not minded to tone down the language, which has dismayed a number of Conservative MPs. Ministerial social media posts are not normally vetted by No 10.
The UK Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer accused Braverman of sowing the “seeds of hatred,” while Labour’s London mayor Sadiq Khan said the violence was “the direct result” of her words and behavior.
UK’s prime minister is also being urged to fire Braverman by many within his government who believe she is looking for a pretext to resign in order to succeed him as leader.
As Downing Street remains silent on the future of Braverman, Conservative MPs expressed despair at Sunak’s delay in sacking his rogue home secretary.
