Slogans involving calls for ‘intifada’ should be offence across the UK – Tory MP

Chanting of slogans described as “antisemitic” should be an offence across the UK, the Commons has heard, after two people were arrested for calling for “intifada”.

The arrests were made during a protest by pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside the Ministry of Justice in Westminster, London, on Wednesday evening.

They mark a change in approach from both the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police, who had announced earlier on Wednesday that anyone chanting the controversial slogans, such as “globalise the intifada”, would face arrest.

It came in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack and the terror attack at Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester on 2 October.

Conservative MP Bob Blackman said the statement from the two police forces raised questions for the rest of the UK.

The UK’s Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis also called for a crackdown on hate speech, saying it had to be made clear that chants such as “globalise the intifada” are “unlawful”.

Speaking at business questions, Mr Blackman, the MP for Harrow East, said: “It has always been the case that chants such as ‘globalise the intifada’, ‘death to the IDF’, and indeed ‘from the river to the sea’ have been deeply antisemitic.

“They should be arrestable offences, and there should be prosecutions as a result.

“However, yesterday, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner and his counterpart in Manchester released the statement that in future, those chants will now be arrestable offences.

“But this begs a number of questions. Does that apply only to London and Manchester? What about the rest of England? What about Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales?

“And what is the Home Secretary doing in terms of issuing guidance to the police on what action should be taken against those that chant these sorts of antisemitic tropes?”

Mr Blackman said Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood or a Home Office minister should bring a statement to the Commons “to actually make clear what the position is, so that people understand what they can say and what they can’t say and what will happen to them as a result of chanting those antisemitic tropes”.

Commons Leader Sir Alan Campbell replied: “All forms of hatred are completely unacceptable and they have no place in our community, and inciting violence and hatred are already illegal in this country.

“The Prime Minister has made clear that there is no other interpretation of calls to internationalise the intifada than as a call to violence against Jewish communities, and therefore entirely unacceptable.

“Free speech is, and always will remain, an important right in this country, wherever you live, and it cannot, however, extend to inciting hatred or harassing others.”

He added he will “ensure that there is clarity going forward on this really important matter”.

In a rare joint statement on Wednesday, Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and GMP Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson said circumstances have changed in the wake of the Bondi Beach mass shooting.

They added: “We know communities are concerned about placards and chants such as ‘globalise the intifada’, and those using it at future protests or in a targeted way should expect the Met and GMP to take action.

“Violent acts have taken place, the context has changed – words have meaning and consequence.

“We will act decisively and make arrests.”

Sir Ephraim welcomed the decision as “an important step towards challenging the hateful rhetoric” seen on Britain’s streets.

But the move has also been decried as political repression by campaigners.

During the pro-Palestine protest outside the Ministry of Justice building, police officers walked into the crowd of around 100 people and took individuals away to police vans.

In a statement on social media, the Met said: “There have been three arrests so far.

“Two people who shouted slogans involving calls for intifada were arrested for racially aggravated public order offences.

“A third person was arrested for obstructing the above arrests.”