As a strong believer in democracy and free speech I support people’s right to peaceful demonstrations to tell others how deeply they feel about an important issue. I also advise those planning such demonstrations to remember that as they are trying to win over public opinion and the government to their view they need to consider how best to persuade rather than upset.
On Sunday many in our nation will wish to remember all those who died in the service of our country in past conflicts. It would be a good idea for anyone planning a demonstration to avoid the same times and places being used for civic and religious ceremonies for Remembrance Sunday.
November 6, 2023
very good advice because like it or not violence will ensue, and don’t ask me to be sympathetic.
November 7, 2023
When I hear any Palestine sympathisers calling for an end to Hamas missile strikes and a return of the Israeli hostages then I will understand they are seeking peace
November 8, 2023
I become so frustrated with the poor level of intelligence and lack of empathy by hammas.It is obvious that when you attack and kill then there is going to be retaliative actions which will actually harm their own people.It is such a basic instinct to fight inback and no doubt the relatives of the young war lords..Hammas.will be indirectly
murdering their own.
November 6, 2023
Hi sir John
There will be a lot of disrespect on sunday
It’s easy to protest about what’s happening on other countries when the protesters are thousands of miles away in the UK a safe country
If they feel that strong why are they not on the next plane to the country they are protesting about , put mice and rats in McDonald’s while children are out with their families how is this going to help ?
We have allow to many bad people into the country.
November 6, 2023
I do not want these people near London. They had had their day demonstrating and should leave us alone to have ours. Also what about animal welfare? How disgusting to use mice in this way by using paint and throwing them around as if they had no rights. It shows what type of people they are.
November 6, 2023
Look a little beneath the surface and see a lot of ‘useful idiots’, in Palestine and London, doing the bidding of the theocracy in the Gulf. Follow the Money!
November 6, 2023
Yes. You quote our nation as if it is your definition. Others may view it differently. I see the Banks may now be asked to spy on peoples bank accounts for the Government as well as it denying us the right to support things it doesn’t agree with under the label extremists.
With the police liable to knock on our door for merely liking an offensive tweet, secret service monitoring anti lockdown supporters, more video cameras, facial recognition, all our car journeys mapped, we are surely getting closer, if not there already, to a police state.
November 6, 2023
Some people expect the whole remembrance weekend to be without any other protests.
I think there will be protest clashes, with ‘Just Stop Oil’ joining in to cause mayhem, as well as Palestine supporters. If those protestors aren’t kept away from remembrance parades and people quietly paying their respect as others are stopped from protesting nearby Free Palestine marches, the police are going to be up against it.
November 11, 2023
with luck Stop Oil will block the road the other matchers want to use.
November 6, 2023
True. However disrupting Remembrance Sunday gets more publicity.
So some organisers may seek this at the risk of alienating most people who are respectful on this day.
Suella Braverman is in danger of going over the top micromanaging the T shirts, banners and other paraphernalia of demonstrators.
However, in this case, keeping any demonstration away from the Cenotaph is essential.
November 7, 2023
Peter, I think the forces need to be out en mass this year. All the reservists lining the routes they want to keep clear, are interspersed with police.
November 6, 2023
Back in May during the Kings coronation the people where encouraged to fly the union flag on the parade, on the pavements, on the streets, on the barriers and while standing still.
Yesterday I watched a video of the met police telling people to remove the union flag from the barriers ….when did it become an insult to wave our flag, our police are an utter disgrace
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1831795/British-veterans-Cenotaph-protest-flags
November 11, 2023
Tell Americans to remove their flag and you’ll get instant violence.
November 6, 2023
Two fingers to multi-cultural sensitivities ….ban all parades, a week either side of the 11th that aren’t related to remembrance ….stop appeasing and chipping away our tradition, lets honour our dead, and lets be proud to honour our dead
November 6, 2023
I can’t really think why people are holding their demos here.
(Except of course for the fact that our beloved govt. has totally sidelined us and what once were our rights have been so kindly given to others).
Let’s go to some far flung country to hold our armistice ( see how we get on!).
The dear souls will no doubt ban it soon anyway…it’s probably “offensive”
Bleat 🐑
November 6, 2023
A few years ago I attended Remembrance Day service in the United Arab Emirates ….held within the British Embassy enclosure
November 6, 2023
It would be the ultimate insult to the UK if the Palestinian walk was allowed to take precedence over Remembrance celebrations.
Besides, they’ve done enough protesting about Gaza, too much of which was more than simply protesting!
November 6, 2023
I personally do not think people have the right to incite hatred and conflict.There should be boundaries to how we interact in society .Who determines how free speech should be worked out?
In my village The Robert Peel monument has been defaced with large lettered graffiti reading Free Palestine..and Ban the police..!
November 6, 2023
Agreed.
November 6, 2023
So would I, but as ever those in positions of leadership seem incapable of making clear decisions. Relying on the good will of the demonstrators is niaive to the power of ten.
November 6, 2023
Many of those marching in protest seem to have more loyalty to Palestine than to fundamentally peaceful nations opposed to conflict.
No demonstration should interfere with the solemn occasion of remembering those who served to protect us from aggression.
November 6, 2023
Just ban ALL demonstrations on the Remembrance weekend (and on the 11th November were different) – job done, with no group being treated any differently.
I’m sure it is not beyond the abilities of Whitehall and Parliament to write such an Bill/Act and vote it through on the nod as first Business on the 8th and 9th this week, enacted into Law at 00:01hrs on the 10th.
November 6, 2023
+1
November 7, 2023
The power exists under S.13 Public Order Act.
November 6, 2023
I agree with you fully Jerry.
There are services all over our nation this coming weekend.
Disruption to the solemn silence would be especially dreadful.
November 6, 2023
We should be asking those who march and protest and demand a ceasefire in Gaza what we, little Britain, can do for it? We have no control over the justifiable counter attacks of Israel in protecting their own citizens from further attacks.
And why do they choose to disrupt and plan to blatantly disrespect our annual Remembrance Day ceremony in which to remember, thank and appreciate those who died fighting for OUR country and fought for the very freedoms that permit such protests today?
It is time firm British Law was made to protect such events and all associated monuments. It must be made a serious crime against the State and its citizens.
November 6, 2023
Why do you think the demonstrators are “trying to win over public opinion” ? Many are just the same Marxist anti-Tory agitators who turn out for any of these casuses – BLM, JSO, Extinction Rebellion, Momentum, etc. Because their aim is the overthrow of capitalism itself they couldn’t care less about public opinion, democracy is not how they see themselves taking power.
November 6, 2023
I shall be attending a remembrance service on Sunday and think of The Soldiers from all over the old British commonwealth Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, and many more who died in the hope of preventing what has unfolded since 1948 in Palestine/Israel.
Todays death toll to date is 10,000 hard to imagine the figure by 11th November at 11am.
Less we not forget then, and now – two wrongs don’t make a right
November 6, 2023
Thank you, well said -needed saying
November 6, 2023
The proposed march isn’t a demonstration, it’s intimidation of the small Jewish community in London/the UK and intended to be another example of the potential for mob rule.
It should be banned. Remembrance Weekend in London, or anywhere else in the UK come to that, should not be defiled in this way.
November 6, 2023
Sadiq Khan’s very quiet. Why?
November 6, 2023
He’s getting everything he wants
November 6, 2023
Free speech means ….
EVERYONE.
We have no right of reply.
It is abominable.
November 6, 2023
@EH; “Everyone is in favor of free speech. Hardly a day
passes without it being extolled, but some people’s
idea of it is that they are free to say what they like,
but if anyone says anything back, that is an outrage.”
Winston Churchill, Oct. 13, 1943
November 6, 2023
John,
Your narrative misses several important points, and all the senior politicians sitting on their hands and saying nothing smacks of cowardice.
This country is in serious trouble, we need some radical change.
Cheers
November 6, 2023
I gill, ++++++. Exactly !!!
November 6, 2023
There can be no disruption to the two minutes silence on Saturday, or events all over the country on Sunday.
That means nobody should even hear protesters chanting in the distance.
I have posted this before, but if there is any disrespect shown, it will harm race and religous relations for years.
November 7, 2023
Let them demonstrate, but restrict where they can do it.
Give them Hyde Park. The sycophantic, sympathetic media will still cover it and pander to the messages (just like with pro EU and eco zealot events) to get clicks but ordinary people will not be inconvenienced.
We live in a democracy, there is a right to misguided protest but this should not impact on anyone else
November 7, 2023
If our ruling elites continue to import large numbers of the third world with its myriad of tribal customs, practices, laws and grievances into our country then we can expect to become the third world.
Especially when they even encourage the illegal immigration of young men of fighting age from dysfunctional and unstable countries with cultures far different to ours with the offer of free accommodation, free healthcare, £40/week pocket money and the freedom to roam our streets until they decide to abscond into the underworld.
If our ruling elites were concerned about the security of the country and the safety of its indigenous citizens you would think they would stop digging the hole they’re trying to put us in.
November 8, 2023
Can we have a sensible debate about the nature of “protest” and its limitations please?
It seems to me that the word is being used to justify intimidation, disruption and physically preventing people from going about their legitimate business – whether to work, for leisure or whatever. Businesses and therefore livelihoods are affected.
There are 365 days in the year and the UK occupies 95,000 square miles. It is unreasonable to demand the right to “protest” time and time again, whenever and wherever you like. At what point does repeatedly closing down an area or a town centre become unreasonable? Why should a so-called mass call to prayer be allowed to close a major thoroughfare? It’s a demonstration of power, no less.
November 9, 2023
‘as they are trying to win over public opinion and the government to their view’
Many public prostests no longer have this aim. They claim to show solidarity. A show of support. But they don’t seek to persuade me, they seek to make me cowel. Intimidation is their aim. They are succeding.