Pro-Palestinian protesters clambering over a First World War statue were “deeply distasteful”, James Cleverly said as he offered police new powers to protect war memorials.
The protesters climbed on the Royal Artillery Memorial at Hyde Park Corner on Wednesday evening after a demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament.
A video of the protesters climbing over the statues while carrying Palestinian flags was shared online by Johnny Mercer, the veterans minister, who noted that it was the only memorial to fallen soldiers in central London.
The Home Secretary, a former soldier who served in the Royal Artillery, said the behaviour of the protesters was “clearly wrong” even though police said no laws had been broken so took no action.
Mr Cleverly, who said he would not let his personal feelings as a former serviceman cloud his judgement, told LBC he would “look at this in real depth” to see if “police need more powers to make sure deeply distasteful and provocative things like this don’t happen”.
“It’s clearly wrong. It’s deeply disrespectful for people to climb on war memorials,” he added. “It is about making sure that it doesn’t stimulate violent action or a violent response.
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
