(Aditi Khanna)
London, November 12 (Language) British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has condemned violent clashes related to far-right and extremist groups.
Sunak and his wife Akshata Murthy joined King Charles III on Sunday at a memorial service at the Cenotaph war memorial near Downing Street here.
As the Big Ben bell struck 11 a.m. Greenwich time, members of the royal family and political leaders laid wreaths at the monument, marking the beginning of a two-minute national silence.
The event took place in London to honor the contributions of servicemen and civilian men and women in the First and Second World Wars and other conflicts. A day before this, on Saturday, during a demonstration in response to pro-Palestinian demonstrations, protesters clashed with police in central London and the London Metropolitan Police has arrested 126 people in connection with this incident.
Nearly three lakh people took to the streets in a mainly peaceful march against the Israel-Gaza conflict. Police later released photographs of wanted suspects displaying extremist actions and racially offensive banners.
Sunak said: “I condemn the violent, completely unacceptable scenes of the EDL (English Defense League) and associated groups and Hamas supporters attending the national march for Palestine. The hateful actions of minorities belittle those who have chosen to peacefully express their views.”
He said, “Memorial Weekend is a time for us to come together as a nation and remember those who fought and gave their lives for our freedom. What we saw today does not protect the honor of our armed forces, but completely disrespects them.”
The Prime Minister said this was true of the rioters in the EDL who attacked police officers and tried to trespass on the Cenotaph, and it is also true of those who shouted anti-Semitic slogans and those of today’s protests. During the event, Hamas supporters display signs and wear clothing.
The Metropolitan Police described the violence by right-wing protesters against off-duty officers as ‘extraordinary and extremely worrying’.
Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said there was no violence at the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. He said police understood the fears of London’s Jewish community.
The opposition, including London Mayor Sadiq Khan, claimed that a controversial article by Home Secretary Suella Braverman was to blame for the violence and also alleged that police did not act impartially during the ‘hate march’.
“There is no doubt that the far-right scenes we saw yesterday were a direct result of the Home Minister’s words and behaviour,” Khan wrote in the Sunday Mirror. If she has any honor she will resign and if not then Rishi Sunak should fire her.”
“Instead of working with the police ahead of the weekend, Suella Braverman decided to attack them and inflame tensions,” Labour’s ‘shadow’ Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said on the social media platform ‘X’.
In Britain, the opposition forms ‘shadow’ ministers who monitor that ministry of the government.
Language Noman Dheeraj
Patience
