“We’re in a fight for the soul of this country”: Starmer
Key Points
- Eleven foreign far-right agitators including US-based Valentina Gomez have been barred from entering the UK ahead of Saturday's Unite the Kingdom march in London
- The Met will deploy live facial recognition, helicopters, drones, dog units, police horses and armoured vehicles in what is expected to be one of London's busiest policing days in years
- £18 million in emergency Government funding has been provided to the Met specifically to protect and reassure the Jewish community over the protest weekend
- Officers will arrest individuals using chants such as "globalise the intifada", with prosecutors and extended court hours ready to charge and process offenders quickly
- Starmer says Britain is in "a fight for the soul of this country" and pledges the full force of the law against violent attendees
Eleven foreign far-right agitators have been barred from entering the UK ahead of Saturday’s Unite the Kingdom march in London, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer warning anyone inciting hatred or violence on the capital’s streets will face the full force of the law.
Among those refused entry is the US-based Valentina Gomez, who the Government cited for using inflammatory and dehumanising rhetoric about Muslim communities.
The Home Office moved against the eleven ahead of what is shaping up to be one of London’s busiest policing days in years, with thousands set to descend on the capital for the Unite the Kingdom march.
A separate pro-Palestine demonstration is also taking place across the city on Saturday, joined by Stand Up to Racism, a campaign group opposing the far right.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed officers will arrest individuals who incite hatred over the weekend, including those using chants such as “globalise the intifada”.
The Met has been backed by £18 million in emergency Government funding aimed specifically at protecting and reassuring the Jewish community ahead of the protests.
Starmer visited the force’s Command and Control Special Operations Room on Friday, where he was briefed on a deployment that will include live facial recognition technology, helicopters, drones, dog units, police horses and armoured vehicles.
Thousands of officers will be on London’s streets across the day, in a force-wide effort to keep the public safe and respond quickly to any disorder.
The justice system has been geared up to match the policing operation. Prosecutors will work alongside the Met to speed up charging decisions, with more courts open and operating for longer hours so that violent offenders can be hauled in front of judges quickly.
Starmer met police chiefs on Friday morning (15 May) and acknowledged that the majority expected to attend the marches are law-abiding citizens intending to protest peacefully. He urged everyone attending a protest to act with decency and respect.
“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,” said Starmer. “Its organisers are peddling hatred and division, plain and simple.”
The Prime Minister said the government would block those seeking to enter the UK to incite hatred and violence, and warned that anyone planning to wreak havoc, intimidate or threaten on Britain’s streets would face the full force of the law.
“My government will always champion peaceful protest but will act decisively against hatred,” Starmer said.
“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.”
