Starmer tells protesters to 'respect grief of British Jews'
Starmer tells protesters to 'respect grief of British Jews'
Sir Keir Starmer has said pro-Palestinian protests planned for this weekend will cause "distress" and urged those thinking of taking part to "recognise and respect the grief of British Jews" after Thursday's synagogue attack.
"It is not a time to stoke tension and cause further pain," the prime minister wrote in The Jewish Chronicle.
It comes after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood called for demonstrators to "step back" and give people a chance to grieve.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski said there should be space and nuance to allow for both grief and non-violent protest.
A spokesperson for protest group Defend Our Juries said: "Cancelling peaceful protests lets terror win."
In an article for the Jewish Chronicle published on Friday, Sir Keir said: "Peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy – and there is justified concern about the suffering in Gaza – but a minority have used these protests as a pretext for stoking antisemitic tropes.
"I urge anyone thinking about protesting this weekend to recognise and respect the grief of British Jews this week. This is a moment of mourning. It is not a time to stoke tension and cause further pain."
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