Braverman demands more action on marches

Suella Braverman has demanded "further action" be taken against proPalestine marches, as police sources said attacks by the far right on officers were linked to her rhetoric in the run-up to Saturday's protests.

- Peter Walker ,  Vikram Dodd , Heather Stewart

In her first public pronouncement since far-right groups fought officers near the Cenotaph, the home secretary made no comment yesterday on claims by Labour and the police that tensions had been inflamed by her own comments. Condemning violence among pro-Palestine demonstrators and those she termed "counter protesters", she focused on "sick, inflammatory and, in some cases, clearly criminal chants, placards and paraphernalia openly on display" at the main march.

Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, she said: "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." 

Last week Braverman provoked fury after she ignored Downing Street's request that she tone down an opinion piece for the Times, in which she accused the police of bias in how they deal with political protests.

One policing source with close knowledge of the weekend's events said the intensity of attacks by farright supporters on officers in central London was "unprecedented". Police believe some were in possession of, and high on, cocaine.

A government source claimed police were trying to "dictate" what could be debated publicly by claiming tensions had increased following "intense debate about protest and policing".