Suella Braverman has doubled down on calls for more action to be taken against pro-Palestine protesters.
The home secretary last week failed to get marches banned over the remembrance weekend, after the Metropolitan Police said it had the resources to manage the hundreds of thousands of people who turned up – as well as far-right counter-protests.
Politics latest: Braverman hits out at ‘sick’ chants
In a series of posts on X sent this afternoon, Ms Braverman said “further action is necessary” against the protests, which in her words mean “the streets of London are being polluted by hate, violence, and antisemitism”.
The home secretary paid tribute to officers, saying “our brave police officers deserve the thanks of every decent citizen for their professionalism in the face of violence and aggression from protesters and counter protesters in London yesterday”.
“That multiple officers were injured doing their duty is an outrage.”
This is a marked contrast to last week, when she accused the Metropolitan Police of holding “double standards” on how it polices protests.
She added: “The sick, inflammatory and, in some cases, clearly criminal chants, placards and paraphernalia openly on display at the march mark a new low. Antisemitism and other forms of racism together with the valorising of terrorism on such a scale is deeply troubling.”
Some have accused Ms Braverman of inflaming tensions, leading to more people descending on the capital.
Ms Braverman’s job is now on the line, with opposition parties calling for Rishi Sunak to back her, and a lack of support from her ministerial colleagues.