‘We’re facing a battle for the nation’s soul’: Starmer’s warning as police gear up to deal with 80,000 protesters at rival rallies in London
Prosecutors have vowed to get tough on hate-spewing protesters ahead of an unprecedented £4.5m police operation to deal with rival rallies on Sunday.
Keir Starmer warned on Saturday of a ‘fight for the soul of this country’ after the head of the Crown Prosecution Service announced a new tough stance against those inciting hatred at protests.
Scotland Yard is bracing for one of the busiest days of policing in years as up to 80,000 protesters descend on the capital, which is also hosting the FA Cup Final.
Britain’s top force is set to use armored vehicles for the first time in a decade, deploying 4,000 officers to intervene in a series of protests on Sunday, including a UK rally led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson and a pro-Palestinian demonstration marking Nakba Day. Nakba, which means ‘catastrophe’ in Arabic, refers to the displacement of Palestinians for the establishment of Israel in 1948.
Visiting the Metropolitan Police’s Command and Control Special Operations Room yesterday, the Prime Minister outlined an ‘upgraded justice system’ ready to quickly bring violent criminals before judges, saying: ‘We are in a fight for the soul of this country and the Unite the Kingdom march is a stark reminder of exactly what we are up against.
‘The organizers are clearly selling hatred and division.
‘We will block those who seek to incite hatred and violence from entering the UK. ‘You can expect anyone who sets out to wreak havoc on our streets, intimidate or threaten anyone, to face the full force of the law.’
Eleven foreign far-right agitators were prevented from entering the country.
Last year’s National Palestine March crossed Westminster Bridge to mark the anniversary of the Nakba, when nearly 750,000 Palestinian Arabs were driven from their lands in 1948.
Marchers of the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally passed through the same location in September last year
Previously, Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson announced new guidance calling on prosecutors to consider whether protest signs, banners and slogans displayed on social media amount to the offense of inciting hatred.
He said: ‘This is not about restricting freedom of expression. ‘This is about preventing hate crime and protecting the public, especially at a time of rising tensions.’
Under the Public Order Act, offenses of inciting hatred are punishable by up to seven years in prison.
For the first time under official protest restrictions, organizers and speakers of the rallies will face investigation if they are thought to use the events as a platform for extremism or hate speech.
But Metropolitan Police Federation president Paula Dodds warned rank-and-file officers were being overstretched by a constant stream of protests.
He said: ‘Our numbers are not enough. Officers are emotionally and physically exhausted.’
It turns out that Jewish worshipers will have to participate in part of the Nakba march route. Those leaving Westminster Synagogue must follow the route as the Met has refused to change the direction of the rally.
