Urgent Cobra meeting convened ahead of Remembrance Sunday as protest outrage explodes
An urgent Cobra meeting has been called ahead of Remembrance Sunday this weekend
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An urgent Cobra meeting has been called ahead of Remembrance Sunday this weekend.
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden called the meeting to consider the impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict in the UK, which escalated after Hamas' terror attack on Israel on October 7.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said the meeting "will look at a wide range of areas but it’s obviously particularly focused on the impact of the terrorist attack on the UK domestically”.
It will also look at how to address important issues around “community cohesion”.
WATCH: Farage says pro-Palestine march on Remembrance Sunday should be banned
This comes amid mounting outrage over plans to hold demonstrations over the course of the weekend.
Sunak's spokesperson said the Prime Minister believes a pro-Palestinian march on Armistice Day would be “provocative and disrespectful”.
The official said the Government would “carefully consider” any application to prevent the march.
But they added that operational decisions on whether to ban the planned march in London were for the Metropolitan Police.
The spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister himself does not think it’s right for these sorts of protests to be scheduled on Armistice Day.
“He believes that is provocative and disrespectful.”
Previously, Downing Street said planning such protests would be "an affront to the public".
The PM's official spokesman said: “To plan these sorts of protests in and around Armistice Day is provocative, it’s disrespectful.
“Should memorials be desecrated or should we see some of the instances of racial hatred for which there were arrests at the weekend be expressed on these days? I think that would be an affront to the British public.”
The Metropolitan Police asked demonstrators planning to hold a pro-Palestinian rally in London on Armistice Weekend to “urgently reconsider” their protest, after having met with organisers from a range of groups yesterday to discuss concerns about the march.
Although the planned route will not go past the Cenotaph, the Met Police said organisers have declined to postpone the demonstration.
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Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf - who had family trapped in Gaza - also threw his weight behind the movement, saying the marches should "absolutely" go ahead this weekend
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Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said: “The risk of violence and disorder linked to breakaway groups is growing. This is of concern ahead of a significant and busy weekend in the capital.
“Our message to organisers is clear: Please, we ask you to urgently reconsider. It is not appropriate to hold any protests in London this weekend.”
Union bosses Mick Lynch, Matt Wrack and Daniel Kebede stood in solidarity with the pro-Palestinian protesters, saying they would be attending Saturday's march.
Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf - who had family trapped in Gaza - also threw his weight behind the movement, saying the marches should "absolutely" go ahead this weekend.