- Eleven foreign far-right agitators have been
blocked from coming to the UK, ahead of the unpatriotic Unite the
Kingdom March
- Prime Minister warns violent thugs who spew hatred on
our streets will face the full force of the law
- Saturday expected be one of the busiest days for
policing in recent years, as thousands descend on the capital
Eleven foreign far-right agitators intent on coming to
the UK to spew their extremist views have been blocked
from entering the country, as the Prime
Minister takes action to protect British communities
from vile hate.
One of those barred from the UK is US-based
extremist Valentina Gomez, known for using inflammatory and
dehumanising rhetoric about Muslim communities.
Thousands are set to arrive in London on Saturday with a march
organised by Unite the Kingdom. There will also be a
pro-Palestine protest, who will be joined by Stand Up to Racism.
This will make it one of the busiest policing days for the
capital in years.
The Prime Minister has warned that the minority
of violent thugs who plan to attend the marches this
weekend with the intention of whipping up hatred
and threatening communities will face the full force of the
law.
The Met has confirmed they will arrest individuals who incite
hatred, including using chants such as "globalise the intifada".
This follows the Government providing the Met with £18 million in
emergency funding to protect and reassure the Jewish community.
During a visit to the Metropolitan Police's Command and
Control Special Operations Room, the Prime
Minister heard how thousands of officers will be
deployed to keep the public safe, equipped with live facial
recognition technology, helicopters, drones, dog units,
police horses and armoured vehicles.
These officers will be supported by a ramped-up justice
system, ready to quickly haul violent
offenders in front of judges. Prosecutors will also be
working alongside police to speed up charging
decisions, and more courts will be open, and open
for longer.
Prime Minister said:
“We're in a fight for the soul of this country, and the
Unite the Kingdom march this weekend is a stark reminder of
exactly what we are up against. Its organisers are
peddling hatred and division, plain and simple.
“We will block those coming into the UK who seek to
incite hatred and violence. For anyone who sets out to wreak
havoc on our streets, to intimidate or threaten anyone, you can
expect to face the full force of the law.
“My government will always champion peaceful protest
but will act decisively against hatred. We all have a
responsibility to speak out against those spouting vile divisive
views wherever we see it.
“We are a country built on decency, fairness and
respect, at our best when people from different
backgrounds come together in common purpose. That is
what we must fight for.”
Meeting Police Chiefs on Friday morning, the Prime
Minister also made clear he recognises that the majority expected
to attend are law-abiding citizens, who want to protest
peacefully, and urged everyone attending a protest
to act with decency and respect.
Notes to editors:
-
The Government has taken significant action on public order.
The police have a range of strong powers to tackle unlawful
behaviour, including imposing conditions on protests and
addressing incitement to violence or hatred. Further
measures, including taking account of the cumulative impact
of protests, will also be introduced through the Crime and
Policing Act.
