Far-right groups have been galvanised by Suella Braverman’s comments ahead of pro-peace marches in the capital this weekend, a former Metropolitan Police officer has told The London Economic.
Rishi Sunak is facing calls to sack the home secretary after she defied Downing Street by writing an article accusing police of bias over protests in support of Palestine.
Her widely-criticised claim that there is a perception some senior officers “play favourites” was not signed off by No 10, the Prime Minister’s spokesman made clear on Thursday.
Downing Street was investigating how the article containing an inflammatory comparison between “pro-Palestinian mobs” and marches in Northern Ireland was still sent to the Times for publication.
Braverman has been criticised for fabricating the ‘bogus belief’ that people going on a peace march hold the Cenotaph ‘in contempt’ by LBC presenter James O’Brien.
According to Daily Mail reports, football hooligans alliance supporters have had to warn fans not to come “tooled up” with weapons as they bid to ‘protect’ the Cenotaph from pro-Palestine protests, happening a mile away at a later time.
Speaking to The London Economic, Chris Hobbs, a former Metropolitan Police officer, said Braverman’s words have “revitalised” the far-right and angered many others who share the widely parrotted view from the Government that the timing of such a protest is ‘disrespectful.’
Hobbs also said that the comments have “angered” police because they could “compromise the safety of officers” who already had a difficult job on their hands.
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