'We cannot tolerate this': Sunak condemns pro-Palestine demonstration at Starmer's home

Split image. Left image: Rishi Sunak. Right image: A screengrab of Youth Demand protestors outside Sir Keir Starmer's home.
The prime minister said such protests will not be tolerated. Credit: PA/X/@youth_demand

Rishi Sunak has condemned pro-Palestine protesters who staged a demonstration outside Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer's home.

The group Youth Demand - which describe themselves as a "new youth resistance campaign fighting for an end to genocide" - posted a video to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday, showing three of its members outside Sir Keir's property.

During the clip, the trio can be seen tying a flag, which read "Starmer Stop The Killing", to a hedge, placing children's shoes before Sir Keir's front door and sitting down outside his house alongside a Palestine flag.

The video was posted with the caption: "Youth Demand pay @Keir_Starmer a visit.

"Whilst 12,000 children in Gaza are slaughtered, @UKLabour continue to allow the selling of arms to Israel. We are calling on their humanity."

The prime minister retweeted the video from his official X account, saying: "I don't care what your politics are, no MP should be harassed at their own home. We cannot and will not tolerate this."

Home Secretary James Cleverly also posted to X, saying: "This is unacceptable. There is no excuse for harassing and intimidating politicians and their families in their homes."

Mr Sunak's comments come at a time of heightened concerns about safety for MPs, with politicians telling ITV News of a worrying rise in personal abuse and threats.

Last month, the climate group Just Stop Oil shared a video online of one of its members purportedly breaking police bail and delivering a letter to shadow health secretary West Streeting's home.

The video sparked widespread criticism online, and Mr Streeting later said the property was not his home address.

In February, three climate protestors, belonging to the group Greenpeace, were arrested for draping black fabric over the prime minister's home in Kirby Sigston, north Yorkshire.

The stunt came days after Mr Sunak gave the green light for new oil licences in the North Sea.

Politicians on all sides of the Commons have faced pressure in recent months to demand Israel enact an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, following more than six months of fighting in the territory.

More than 33,000 Palestinians have died since the start of Israel's multi-pronged invasion, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.

The military operation was itself provoked after militants belonging to proscribed terror group Hamas, among others, launched an attack into southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting hundreds more.


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