UK Government, Veterans Minister Clash Over Planned Pro-Palestinian Protest on Armistice Day

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs urges ex-soldiers to avoid potential clashes while arguing for citizens’ right to protest, as UK cabinet shows divisions over large pro-Palestinian protest scheduled on Armistice Day.

• UK Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Johnny Mercer, is at odds with Home Secretary Suella Braverman over a planned pro-Palestinian protest on Armistice Day. While Braverman labels the event a 'hate march', Mercer defends citizens' right to protest and urges veterans to avoid potential clashes.
• Mercer has been attempting to dissuade veteran groups from organizing counter-protests that could lead to clashes with pro-Palestinian marchers. The minister also wrote a letter to Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, requesting more protection for elderly veterans attending Remembrance events in the capital.
• Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has stated his belief that the protest, planned for the same day as Veterans' Remembrance events, is 'provocative' and 'disrespectful'. He expressed that the Government would 'carefully consider' any application by the Metropolitan Police to ban the march.
• Despite pleas from the Met Police to cancel the protest due to the growing threat of 'violence and disorder', the organizers of the pro-Palestinian protest have refused to do so. Additionally, various far-right group have threatened to hold a counter-protest on the same day, raising concerns about potential clashes.
• Organizers of a controversial 'F— the Jews' pro-Palestine convoy from 2021 are involved in planning a protest on Armistice Day, raising concerns of repeated anti-Semitic abuse and potential violent disorder. Around 70,000 people are expected to attend this demonstration against Israel's actions in Gaza, coinciding with the traditional remembrance activities of Armistice Day.

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