While Sunak did not single out any group, the prime minister’s striking comments come amid heightened tensions in the U.K. since the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas that sparked the war in Gaza.
Some MPs have said they fear for their safety after pro-Palestinian demonstrations outside their homes and an increased volume of death threats.
Sunak urged police bosses to use existing powers to crack down on protests that the government sees as crossing the line — and issued a new “Defending Democracy Policing Protocol” for officers to follow.
The document suggests protests outside the homes of elected officials should effectively be banned, since they would “generally be considered to be intimidatory.”
“We simply cannot allow this pattern of increasingly violent and intimidatory behavior which is, as far as anyone can see, intended to shout down free debate and stop elected representatives doing their job,” Sunak said.
The prime minister’s language was condemned by the human rights group Amnesty International, which said Sunak risked undermining the right to protest.
“Talk of ‘mob rule’ wildly exaggerates the issue and risks delegitimizing the rights of peaceful protest,” Tom Southerden, Amnesty’s U.K.’s law and human rights director, said.
Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
