Tory MP calls for Britain's 'hate marches' to be 'stamped out' in support of the Jewish community

Georgia Pearce
Fri, 01 May 2026 12:04:27 +0000

Conservative MP David Reed has called for "hate marches" taking place across the country to be "stamped out as soon as possible" following Wednesday's Golders Green stabbing.

Speaking to GB News, the Shadow Defence Minister criticised the Labour Government for "not doing enough" to protect the nation's Jewish community.

The suspect, 45-year-old Essa Suleiman, has been charged with attempted murder in connection with the knife attack.

The Somali-born British national has been remanded back into custody and has since appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

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Reflecting on the attack, Mr Reed told GB News that Sir Keir Starmer's poorly received visit to Golders Green on Thursday is a "testament" to the feeling amongst the Jewish community.

He said: "I think looking at the reaction that the Prime Minister received when he went to Golders Green is testament to the fact that the Jewish community, especially in that part of London, don't think there's been enough done to protect them.

"I've spoken to a number of Jewish people over recent days, in recent months, and they do feel scared at the moment."

Mr Reed highlighted that the "wider problem" of "hate marches" across the country is something that needs to be "stamped out" as soon as possible.

He argued: "I think if we look at the wider problems and the number of marches that we've seen over recent months, there is a massive difference between freedom of speech – something that I will protect all my dying days, something that is fundamental to my democracy – and the difference between hate speech.

"And when that hate speech turns into physical violence and turns into terrorism, which is something that we've seen over the last few days, it needs to be stamped out as quickly as possible."

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Questioned by host Bethany Elsie on why he believes the marches have been allowed to continue, the Tory MP suggested that it might be because the "vast majority" of people at the marches are "peaceful".

He said: "For the vast majority of people that go to these marches, they are peaceful. There is a small minority that do then transgress to using hate speech and then that fuels violence. We cannot have that in our country.

"And I want to give full support to the Metropolitan Police, any other police constabulary across the country, so that they have the powers necessary to be able to stamp this out as quickly as possible, to keep us all safe and to keep the Jewish community safe."