After a sit-in protest for Palestine concluded, Michael Gove was swarmed by demonstrators as he made his way through London’s Victoria station.
Protesters supporting Palestine shouted “shame on you” as the secretary for communities, accompanied by police officers, walked through the concourse. A video shared on the platform formerly known as Twitter shows some protesters holding flags and moving towards Gove, while Metropolitan police officers pushed them back and yelled at them to step away.
On Saturday evening, it was reported that Gove was heading to a central London station to catch a train. On Armistice Day, thousands of protesters marched in London, demanding a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza. The organizers have stated that this march could potentially be one of the largest in British history, with an estimated 800,000 people in attendance.
The protest has sparked controversy due to Suella Braverman’s public condemnation of how the police handled the situation. The home secretary has been criticized for inciting violence from far-right groups near the Cenotaph by labeling pro-Palestinian protesters as “hate marchers” and “Islamists” who were attempting to take over the streets of London on Armistice Day. While the protest itself was peaceful, there were 92 arrests made on Saturday as counter-protesters clashed with the police.
On another video posted on X, Gove was observed strolling down a street in London while a group of demonstrators trailed behind him, shouting “Shame on you”.
Several politicians have shown support for the senior cabinet minister. Former first minister of Northern Ireland, Dame Arlene Foster, shared on Twitter: “This is absolutely unacceptable. I stand with Michael Gove and anyone who is trying to carry out personal tasks on a Saturday afternoon but is being threatened by hooligans.”
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, referred to efforts to intimidate politicians as “unacceptable”.
The SNP’s Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, said: “It’s not ‘bizarre’ for Michael Gove to use a major tube/train station. He should be able to travel in peace like everyone else.
“Those acting in this fashion damage their cause and, along with those displaying abhorrent antisemitism among the rally today, must be condemned.”
The comment was requested from Gove’s office.
Source: theguardian.com
