UK Interior Minister James Cleverly has unveiled a new public order offence under which pro-Palestine protesters could face jail in the country following some incidents during a Pro-Palestinian demonstration.
Cleverly made the announcement in a statement on Sunday, saying protesters who climb Britain’s war memorials could face three months in prison and a 1,000 pound ($1,260) fine under the new plan.
The British minister went on to say that recent protests “have seen a small minority dedicated to causing damage and insulting those who paid the ultimate price for their freedom to protest,”
“Peaceful protest is fundamental in our county, but climbing on our war memorials is an insult to these monuments of remembrance and cannot continue,” he added.
Cleverly further noted that the measure would be part of a plan to ensure Britain’s police have the tools to keep order and peace on the streets.
Pro-Palestine demonstrations have continued in the UK since Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza in early October, drawing hundreds of thousands onto British streets.
The latest development came a day after thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through the streets of London to “condemn UK government actions” in the war on Gaza and call for an immediate ceasefire.
Ben Jamal, director of the UK-based Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, said the protesters marched to Whitehall on Friday to send a message to Downing Street that “the UK must end its complicity in Israel’s genocide” and demand a permanent ceasefire.
The national march was organized by a coalition including the Friends of Al-Aqsa, Palestinian Forum in Britain, Stop the War Coalition, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Muslim Association of Britain.
London’s Metropolitan Police said that the “events passed peacefully with disruption kept to a minimum” and would “always seek to work with protest organizers” to ensure disorder is prevented.
The Israeli regime waged the war on Gaza on October 7 after Hamas carried out the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime’s atrocities against Palestinians.
Since the start of the aggression, Israel has killed more than 27,300 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the latest count by the Gaza Health Ministry.
The Tel Aviv regime has imposed a “complete siege” on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.
