Palestine protests should be restricted and police should act on calls to murder Jews, says Labour’s Graham Stringer

LABOUR MP Graham Stringer has said that weekly pro-Palestine protests in major cities need to be stopped and that police should crack down on those calling for the murder of Jews.

Stringer, whose constituency includes the synagogue that was attacked on Thursday, told the Camilla Tominey Show on GB News: “I think we’re at a really difficult junction. I’m a strong believer in freedom of speech and the right of people to demonstrate whatever their views are. I think the demonstrations have passed that point.

“I understand the police have a difficult time if there are two or 3,000 people demonstrating, going in and arresting them may make the situation worse, but in whatever way, we cannot allow people chanting, inciting people to violence and murder against Jews. We cannot allow that on our streets.

“The police have to think very carefully about the tactics. We don’t want a war on our streets. And the government has to think very carefully about how they deal with banning things.

“I think that weekly demonstrations in our major cities, particularly London, is wrong, that the law shouldn’t allow people to dominate Parliament Square and other parts of London on a regular basis. One demonstration, I don’t know what the right amount would be, every two months would be adequate, and those demonstrations shouldn’t – the police shouldn’t allow people to be inciting other people to violence.”

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Asked if he thought the Prime Minister had blood on his hands, he said: “What those people who are supportive of the Jewish community want is an end to this extremism and the demand to kill Jews, which is what’s happening on our streets. I think we should not respond in extreme language like blood on our hands.

“It is a mistake to recognise Palestine. I don’t think the government has done enough in terms of educating people. It’s easy to make decisions if you’re in the cabinet, but there is also a responsibility on the leadership to go out and meet people to explain why they’re doing it.

“I’ve not heard enough from ministers who are obviously concerned about the slaughter that’s been happening in Gaza, but there has not been enough statements. It’s happened, but not enough. Hamas’ policy from its inception has been to kill Jews and destroy Israel. And it just simply isn’t said enough by Labour MPs, by Labour government ministers.

“The fact is that the issue in Gaza could have been sorted out within days of the horrible attack on the 7 October on Israelis, if the hostages had been given back. But what has sustained the war has been those hostages, dead and alive, have been held, and Hamas has refused to give them up.”