Priti Patel takes brutal swipe at Met Police as fury builds over Armistice Day protests

Priti Patel takes brutal swipe at Met Police as fury builds over Armistice Day protests

Priti Patel has taken a brutal swipe at the Met Police, accusing them of taking a "totally inappropriate" approach to the policing the Sarah Everard vigil in 2021

Millie Cooke

By Millie Cooke


Published: 09/11/2023

- 16:56

The former Home Secretary said she was 'dismayed' with how the police handled the vigil to mark Sarah Everard's death in 2021

Priti Patel has taken a brutal swipe at the Met Police, accusing them of taking a "totally inappropriate" approach to policing the Sarah Everard vigil in 2021.

This comes amid mounting fury over the Armistice Day protests after Suella Braverman accused them of "playing favourites".


Speaking to the Covid inquiry, Patel said she was "dismayed" with how the police handled the vigil.

The vigil, held after the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard by police office Wayne Couzens, saw multiple arrests made.

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At the time, Jamie Klingler, co-founder of Reclaim These Streets - which organised the vigil - accused the police of "trampling all over" human rights.

Speaking about the protests, Patel told the Covid inquiry: "I saw the news that night and just felt that that was totally inappropriate policing.

"So, inevitably, I had to raise that with the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and then a lot of other work took place thereafter."

The Met Police has faced mounting criticism in recent days over their refusal to ban a planned pro-Palestine protest, scheduled to take place on Remembrance Sunday.

In an Op-Ed for the Times, the Home Secretary accused the police of "playing favourites" with protests.

She said the pro-Palestinian marches are "problematic" because of "violence around the fringes", in addition to "highly offensive" chants, posters and stickers.

Braverman said: "Unfortunately, there is a perception that senior police officers play favourites when it comes to protesters.


"Right-wing and nationalist protesters who engage in aggression are rightly met with a stern response yet pro-Palestinian mobs displaying almost identical behaviour are largely ignored, even when clearly breaking the law.

"I have spoken to serving and former police officers who have noted this double standard."

The Home Secretary has faced calls to step down over the comments.

One former Cabinet minister demanded Sunak sack Braverman ahead of Remembrance weekend, telling GB News she “completely overstepped”.


He said the Government should be focusing on making sure the weekend is “respected” rather than “posturing”.

He added: “It falls far short of what is expected of a Home Secretary."

Meanwhile, a senior Conservative told GB News: "She is clearly on her way out and going out with a bang".

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Braverman

In an Op-Ed for the Times, the Home Secretary accused the police of "playing favourites" with protests

PA

Another told the Independent: "She must go", arguing it is unacceptable to “publicly undermine the police in this way”.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey also called for the Home Secretary to be sacked, saying: "Rishi Sunak must finally act with integrity by sacking his out-of-control Home Secretary."

But others backed Braverman's intervention, with Conservative MP Miriam Cates telling GB News she "fully supports" the intervention.

Meanwhile, a former minister said he is "surprised" at the "tone she has struck", but added that she is "voicing the concerns of many colleagues".

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