U.K. Home Secretary Braverman accuses police of bias for refusing to ban pro-Palestine march

“Unfortunately, there is a perception that senior police officers play favourites when it comes to protesters,” Ms. Braverman wrote in her op-ed

U.K. Home Secretary Suella Braverman has accused the Metropolitan Police of bias following its refusal to ban a pro-Palestine march in London this Saturday. Ms. Braverman also referred to protestors as “hate marchers”.

The protests have been held weekly since Israel’s retaliatory strikes on Gaza began last month but will coincide with Armistice Day ceremonies in London on November 11, prompting the government to object to them. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been urged by several lawmakers to sack Ms. Braverman over her language.

“Unfortunately, there is a perception that senior police officers play favourites when it comes to protesters,” Ms. Braverman wrote in her op-ed in The Times, arguing that during COVID, Black Lives Matter demonstrators were “enabled” and “allowed to break rules”.

 “I do not believe that these marches are merely a cry for help for Gaza,” she wrote, as she compared them to marches in Northern Ireland to assert the primacy of “certain groups - particularly Islamists”.

Ms. Braverman accused the police of a “double standard”, arguing right-wing nationalist protestors are “rightly met with a stern response”. No.10 Downing Street had not approved Ms. Braverman’s article, as per multiple reports in the British press, although it had provided her with feedback on a draft.

Mr. Sunak had said on Wednesday that holding protests as Britain commemorates the end of World War I was “disrespectful”. Short of asking the police to ban the pro-Palestine march, Mr. Sunak had summoned Met Chief Mark Rowley and had said that he would hold the police “ accountable “ for safeguarding Saturday’s remembrance services for Britain’s war dead.