Palestinian-supporting demonstrations called 'not in keeping with British values' following Manchester attack, UK home secretary asserts

Media Agency

The Interior Minister voiced regret that Palestinian-supporting protests proceeded on Thursday following the terror attack that claimed the lives of two men outside a synagogue in the city of Manchester.

Britain's top security official also urged demonstrators to "pause" from intentions to stage protests in the next few days.

"I believe that continuing in this fashion appears contrary to British values, it seems misguided," she stated regarding demonstrations scheduled for this week.

Protesters in central London demonstrating against the Israel's naval forces intercepting a flotilla transporting aid to the Gaza Strip had confrontations with police officers outside the Prime Minister's residence on Thursday night.

Numerous people carrying Palestinian flags and placards could be spotted on the government district throughout the evening.

London's Metropolitan Police announced that 40 people had been arrested. Six of those apprehended were charged with assaults on police officers.

"It's essential to make a distinction between events unfolding in the Middle Eastern region and situations developing at in our country," the minister stated during a television interview on Friday.

"My message would be to individuals who are considering to go on a protest is to pause and reflect for a moment, and think about if you had lost a loved one to a terror attack in this country," she emphasized.

There were "robust" measures to defend the right to demonstrate, she noted, but they could be overridden on the guidance of the law enforcement.

"I can follow guidance from the law enforcement, if they were to advise me there was an inability to respond and to oversee the demonstrations, then there are powers that are available," she clarified.

Community leaders express apprehensions

The UK's Chief Rabbi commented that many members of the Jewish population asked why marches in solidarity of Palestinian advocacy groups had been allowed to occur.

The group was proscribed as a prohibited organization in the summer. At numerous protests after that, hundreds have been detained for demonstrating backing for the group, which has obtained approval to challenge the restriction.

"Some of them feature outright antisemitism, direct support for Hamas. Not everyone involved, however there is so much of these elements, which certainly is harmful to many within our community," the chief rabbi remarked.

"You cannot separate the rhetoric on our public spaces, the actions of people in this way, and what inevitably results, which was Thursday's violent act."

Additionally, he called on the government "once more", to "assert authority on these protests, they are risky."