• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Priti Patel targets ‘thuggery’ of Black Lives Matter protests in Tory speech

"As Conservatives, we do not measure the depth of our compassion in two hundred and eighty characters on Twitter, but in the actions we take and the choices we make", she said.

Jack Peat by Jack Peat
2020-10-04 17:23
in Politics
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Home Secretary Priti Patel used her speech to Tory members to take aim at the tactics of Black Lives Matter and Extinction Rebellion protesters, as she criticised the “hooliganism and thuggery” seen on the country’s streets.

Social media video clips showed police in Westminster having objects hurled at them by anti-racist campaigners earlier this year, while a statue of Sir Winston Churchill had to be boarded up to protect it from vandalism during the Black Lives Matter protests.

In Bristol, those taking to the streets as part of the protests, sparked by the death of George Floyd in the US, tore down a statue of Edward Colston, who made his wealth through the slave trade.

“No excuse” for the behaviour

There was also widespread condemnation last month when Extinction Rebellion climate change protesters blockaded the printing presses of national newspapers.

Ms Patel, addressing the virtual Conservative Party conference on Sunday, said there was “no excuse” for the behaviour shown.

She said police had the “backing of the Government, backing of our party, our Government and our Prime Minister” in their efforts to police the demonstrations.

She told members: “This Government will always defend the right to protest.

RelatedPosts

Boris Johnson boats he will be in power at 2030 leaving people to say same thing

Lammy courts controversy as he refuses to back BA workers

Tories actually WON the by-elections… according to PM’s sister

Labour has ‘claimed centre ground’ and ‘shown it can win’ following by-election victory – Starmer

“That right is a fundamental pillar of our democracy, but the hooliganism and thuggery we have seen is not – it is indefensible.

“There is no excuse for pelting flares at brave police officers, for throwing bikes at police horses, for disrespecting the Cenotaph or vandalising the statue of Sir Winston Churchill, one of the greatest protectors of our freedoms who has ever lived.

“Not acceptable” for mobs to tear down statues

“It is not acceptable for mobs to tear down statues and cause criminal damage across our streets.

“And it is not acceptable for thugs to assault our police officers, just for doing their job.”

She said the Government had already agreed to double the maximum sentence for assaults on emergency workers and confirmed she was working with chief constables to ensure their officers “have the tools, support and the powers they need” to police such incidents.

Ms Patel also paid tribute to “hero” Pc Andrew Harper, who died when he became entangled in a tow rope as he tried to stop quad bike thieves, and Sergeant Matt Ratana, who was shot as he prepared to search a suspect who was handcuffed.

She vowed to work with Pc Harper’s widow, Lissie Harper, to “ensure anyone who kills an emergency worker gets the sentence they deserve”.

“Biggest overhaul of our asylum system in decades”

In an announcement briefed beforehand to the media, the Home Secretary committed to delivering “the biggest overhaul of our asylum system in decades”.

She said she would “explore all practical measures and options to deter illegal migration”.

It comes as ministers and officials faced a backlash last week over a string of reports on possible ideas for how to make changes to the asylum system, including processing those with claims on Ascension Island, some 4,000 miles from the UK, and placing them on disused ferries in the sea.

But Ms Patel said she would not be deterred from carrying out the reforms, even if that meant “being unpopular on Twitter”.

She also hit out at Alastair Campbell, New Labour’s former head of communications, who had tweeted deriding Ms Patel’s Essex accent and her penchant for dropping her Gs.

“If at times it means Tony Blair’s spin doctor mocking my accent, so be it,” she said of her bid to shake up the asylum system.

“And if at times it means Labour members of Parliament attempting to silence me because I do not conform to their idea of what an ethnic minority woman should stand for, I will stomach it.

“Because as Conservatives, we do not measure the depth of our compassion in two hundred and eighty characters on Twitter, but in the actions we take and the choices we make.”

Related: Proud Boys hashtag gets hijacked by the gay community – and now it’s trending

Tags: headlinePriti Patel

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

‘Sorrow, remorse, and regret:’ Ardern apologises to Pacific Island community for historic raids

Teachers not given time off by schools to get Covid vaccine is ‘widespread’

England’s least popular motorway has been named

‘Time for Boris Johnson to produce his own proposals in writing if they exist’ – EU deadline rejected by UK

Weather forecast, alerts and UVB index for London, Saturday 20 March 2021

MPs stunned into silence as Jess Phillips lists all women killed in last 12 months

Is flying from regional airports better?

I am Mark – review

Raging wildfires trap 4,000 on Australian town’s waterfront

Low-paid workers more likely to have lost jobs since crisis began – study

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.