Rishi Sunak today warned that protesters who ‘glorify’ Hamas face the full force of the law – as police hunt two women who wore images of paragliding terrorists.
The PM pointed out that the group is a ‘proscribed terrorist organisation’ and shows of support can attract long jail terms.
The comments came as Mr Sunak visited a Jewish school in London, before he to updates MPs on the mounting crisis in the Middle East later.
The furore over pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Westminster on Saturday is still raging, with the Met releasing a clearer picture of one of the two women they are tracing over symbols taped to their jackets.
Tories are also demanding to know why the protests were allowed to take place by the ‘hallowed ground’ of the Cenotaph.
Pictures showed the stage for speakers including Jeremy Corbyn was installed in front of the memorial to Britain’s war dead.
The Met told MailOnline that Westminster Council is responsible for permitting or blocking protests on roads. But the council said it had not given approval.
Rishi Sunak visited a Jewish school in London this morning, as he prepares to update MPs on the mounting crisis in the Middle East later
The Metropolitan Police release this composite image of the women it wanted to track down from the protest on Saturday
An image circulating on X showed how close the protest stage used on Saturday was to the Cenotaph war memorial
Hamas used paragliders as part of its attack on Israel on October 7.
Mr Sunak said the Met is reviewing footage of the protest that took place in Whitehall at the weekend.
‘Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organisation, it’s very clear under the law, the support and glorification of Hamas is illegal, and those offences are punishable with up to almost 14 years in jail,’ he said.
‘But it’s not just about Hamas, more broadly actions that incite violence or stir up religious hatred and racial violence are also not acceptable and that’s why, as I said, there’s no place in our society for that type of hatred and division, and it will be met with the full force of the law where it happens.’
In a round of interviews this morning, Defence minister James Heappey told Sky News: ‘I think that that celebration and glorification of what happened last Saturday is despicable.
‘I was a soldier, now I’m a minister in defence. Never once have I celebrated the demise of my adversaries, and so even if those women who were wearing those stickers regard Israelis as their enemy, even if they want to see them remove the state of Israel, the idea that they celebrate and glorify that loss of human life is just despicable to me.
‘And I’m glad police are acting and I hope those two particularly are found.’
Home Secretary Suella Braverman issued a stark warning to demonstrators over the weekend, accusing some of glorifying terrorism and promoting genocide.
She said: ‘To all those who saw fit to promote genocide, glorify terrorism and mock the murder of Jewish people, including women and babies – the police are coming for you.’
A Met spokesperson said: ‘Officers investigating a public order offence wish to identify two women who attended the protests yesterday.
‘At present we only have a ‘front on’ image of the woman in red. We ask these women or anyone who knows their identity to contact officers.’
The authorities are facing a backlash over the lack of restrictions on the protest, which had a stage right by the Cenotaph.
Former minister Mark Francois said: ‘What kind of a country are we now living in?
‘The Cenotaph is our national war memorial and therefore hallowed ground, which should never be used for political protest, of any kind by anyone.
‘Who on earth gave permission for this to take place and how on earth can they now justify their decision?’
Speakers at the protest on Saturday included Jeremy Corbyn
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