KEIR Starmer has renewed his call to pro-Palestine protesters to “respect the grief of British Jews” as he said demonstrations could cause further pain to mourners.
The Prime Minister told activists to reconsider whether they should attend pro-Palestine protests, days after two people were killed and others were injured during a terror attack on a synagogue in Manchester.
Several major protests are set to go ahead on Saturday, including one in Central London organised by Defend Our Juries.
Posting on Twitter/X, Starmer wrote: "I urge anyone thinking about protesting this weekend to recognise and respect the grief of British Jews.
"This is a moment of mourning. It is not a time to stoke tension and cause further pain. It is a time to stand together. We are a country that welcomes all people, no matter their faith, to stand under the same flag as neighbours and friends.
"That is who we are and who we will always be. Hatred and violence will never win."
A woman carries a bunch of flowers for a memorial in Manchester(Image: Peter Byrne)
A member of Defend Our Juries said it would be “unwise” to heed calls to cancel it.
Human rights campaigner Sir Jonathon Porritt told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I have no doubt whatsoever that everyone taking part in the Defend Our Juries’s silent vigil today will demonstrate huge respect and real grief for those affected by the absolute atrocity at Heaton Park.
“But I don’t think that means that we should be asked to give up on our right to stand up for those who are being devastated by an ongoing, real-time genocide in Gaza.”
Asked about calls from politicians to delay the protest, he said: “I think that would be an unwise move for Defend Our Juries. We’ve been persistent in trying to bring these concerns to the attention of the Government.”
There would be “nothing disrespectful” about the “silent vigil”, whose attendees would have the “deepest concern about growing levels of antisemitism” in the UK, Porritt said.