Katz backs move to ban climbing on Hyde Park’s Holocaust memorial garden
Lords agree to add the London garden to a draft list of protected memorials under the new Crime and Policing Bill
Climbing over Hyde Park’s Holocaust Memorial Garden is set to become a criminal offence, after the monument was recently covered up during a nearby demonstration.
Peers in the House of Lords have agreed to add the London garden, marked by boulders and birch trees, to a draft list of protected memorials under the new Crime and Policing Bill.
The legislation would make it illegal to climb the memorial without a “good reason,” carrying penalties of up to three months in prison and a £1,000 fine.
Lord Katz, speaking for the Government, said both the Holocaust Memorial Garden and the Monument to the Women of World War II in Whitehall were “culturally significant” and indicated ministerial support for their protection.
He added: “The Holocaust Memorial Garden in Hyde Park is, of course, designed to be enjoyed as a garden, and people are free to walk within it.”
In addition, the Government has amended the Bill to ban protests outside the homes of public office-holders, including MPs, peers, members of the Senedd, and the mayor of London.
The Holocaust Memorial Garden joins a list of prominent memorials, including the Cenotaph in Whitehall, Birmingham’s Hall of Memory, the Liverpool Cenotaph, The Response in Newcastle, and the Portsmouth Naval War Memorial.
However, several properties are exempt from the ban, including Downing Street, the Palace of Westminster, Chequers, and Chevening House.
The law would also cover the statue of wartime prime minister Sir Winston Churchill outside Parliament, which was defaced with the words “Free Palestine” and “Never Again is Now” last month.
The Hyde Park garden, built in 1983, features a stone inscribed: “For these I weep. Streams of tears flow from my eyes because of the destruction of my people.”
Jewish peer Katz added:“I’ve given consideration to the practical issue of whether the police will be able to enforce this offence. The intention of the offence is to capture the act of climbing, and I’m confident it will not capture walking on an installation such as the Holocaust Memorial Garden.
“Further, there are, of course, other memorials listed in (the Bill) which have steps which may be sat on by members of the public, such as the Royal Artillery Memorial in Hyde Park. I am content that in enforcing this offence, police officers will use their discretion to consider whether an offence is committed.”
Lord Katz also stressed that the Bill “intentionally sets out a clear and fixed list of memorials, which provides certainty for the public, policing and the courts,” warning that adding further memorials could “undermine the clarity and consistency that the measure is intended to achieve.”
Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, who proposed the amendment, noted that the garden was covered in tarpaulin as recently as April 2024 due to concerns over possible antisemitic vandalism.
Several newspapers published photographs at the time showing the monument covered by a blue tarpaulin.
Peers also agreed to add the Monument to the Women of World War II in Whitehall, unveiled in 2005, to the list of protected sites.
Lord Katz said, “Harassment and intimidation must never be accepted as a part of a public office-holder’s role,” while acknowledging that “it is perfectly legitimate for campaigners during election time to doorknock and to speak to their local public office-holders about a different political opinion. Where this crosses the line is when these people choose to protest against the public office-holder at their home.”
The Bill faces further scrutiny before it can become law
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
