Introduction: Legal Action Against Hamas Glorification
The UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has taken a firm stance against individuals celebrating Hamas terrorists, emphasizing that they will face legal consequences.
Scotland Yard is currently reviewing images from a pro-Palestinian rally in central London to investigate whether a public order offence took place.
Prime Minister’s Pledge to Ensure Community Safety
During a visit to a Jewish school in north London, Rishi Sunak expressed the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of the Jewish community.
He stated that actions supporting or glorifying Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organization, are illegal and punishable with potential jail terms of up to almost 14 years.
Enforcement of the Law and Police Support
The Prime Minister highlighted that beyond Hamas, actions that incite violence or promote religious and racial hatred are unacceptable.
He stressed that there is no place for such hatred and division in society, and the law will be enforced rigorously in such cases.
Sunak also expressed gratitude to the police for their efforts and stated that they are reviewing footage to make further arrests where necessary.
Impact on Jewish Schools
The Prime Minister’s visit to the school followed reports that around 25% of Jewish parents did not send their children to classes on Friday due to safety concerns.
In some London schools, this proportion reached as high as 40%, and additional security measures were put in place.
Appeal for Identifying Rally Participants
Scotland Yard is appealing for assistance in identifying two women who displayed images of paragliders on their jackets at the pro-Palestinian demonstration.
They were among tens of thousands at the rally, and one allegedly chanted, “Britain is a terrorist state.”
Concerns About Hate Incidents
The Metropolitan Police recorded a significant increase in offences against Jewish people and Islamophobic incidents in the recent period, highlighting growing concerns about hate crimes.
Over 1,000 officers were deployed for the pro-Palestinian march, where chants directed at Rishi Sunak and expressions of support for Palestine were heard.
Recognition of Dissident and Protests
The report mentions the identification of Vahid Beheshti, an Iranian dissident mobbed by pro-Palestine protesters for waving an Israeli flag.
He has been staging a protest against Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for over 230 days outside the Foreign Office. Furthermore, protesters gathered outside BBC headquarters in London over the network’s decision not to label Hamas as terrorists.
