No age limit on law, says Met Police chief as 83-year-old arrested at protest
The protest started at about 1.10pm and officers were seen taking people away shortly after 1.30pm.
Reverend Sue Parfitt, 83, who was sat in a camp chair with placards at her feet, appeared to have been taken away by officers.
Reverend Sue Parfitt, 83, was arrested on Saturday (Jeff Moore/PA)
A woman seen lying on the ground in handcuffs was lifted by officers and put in a police van.
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley was asked on the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg whether it was a good use of police time after the priest was pictured being taken away from the demonstration.
He said: 'The law doesn't have an age limit, whether you're 18 or 80.
'If you're supporting proscribed organisations, then the law is going to be enforced.
'Officers, you could see, did it with great care and tried to preserve that person's dignity, but they're breaking a serious law.
'Palestine Action have over the last 18 months, I have to be careful what I say, because there's cases coming to trial, but some really serious criminal offences that they're accused of. There are millions of pounds worth of damage on multiple occasions. There are assaults, there are weapons used.
'It is not about protest. This is about an organisation committing serious criminality and obviously the Home Secretary was persuaded by the papers on her desk to proscribe them, that law has come into force, and if people want to defy that law, then we have to enforce it.'
Sir Mark Rowley said the law would be enforced on anyone supporting proscribed organisations (Jeff Moore/PA)
Palestine Action lost a late-night Court of Appeal challenge on Friday which sought to stop the protest group being banned, less than two hours before the new legislation came into force at midnight.
The designation as a terror group means that membership of, or support for, Palestine Action is a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
A group had earlier said it was set to gather in Parliament Square on Saturday holding signs supporting Palestine Action, according to campaign group Defend Our Juries.
In a letter to the Home Secretary, protesters said: 'We do not wish to go to prison or to be branded with a terrorism conviction, but we refuse to be cowed into silence by your order.'
The move to ban the organisation was announced after two Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20, an incident claimed by Palestine Action, which police said caused around £7 million of damage.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action on June 23, stating that the vandalism of the two planes was 'disgraceful' and that the group had a 'long history of unacceptable criminal damage'.
MPs in the Commons voted 385 to 26, majority 359, in favour of proscribing the group on Wednesday, before the House of Lords backed the move without a vote on Thursday.
Four people – Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29, Jony Cink, 24, Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 36, and Lewis Chiaramello, 22 – have all been charged in connection with the incident at RAF Brize Norton.
They appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday after being charged with conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage, under the Criminal Law Act 1977.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Western Telegraph
King to highlight vital bond with France over threats that ‘know no borders'
Charles and the Queen are set to welcome the French leader and his wife Brigitte to Windsor Castle on Tuesday as Mr Macron begins his three-day state visit to the UK. At a glittering banquet in the historic Berkshire landmark in the evening, the monarch will deliver a speech, highlighting how 'these challenges know no borders: no fortress can protect us against them this time'. The King will deliver a speech at the state banquet in honour of French president Emmanuel Macron (Chris Jackson/PA) But he will tell Mr Macron that Britain and France can help lead the way in confronting threats relating to defence, technology and climate change, saying: 'Our two nations share not only values, but also the tireless determination to act on them in the world.' Charles and Camilla are hosting Mr Macron and the first lady at the historic royal residence. They will be feted with a carriage ride through the town, a ceremonial welcome and the opulent state dinner. Brigitte Macron and the Queen join in with a toast alongside the King and French President Emmanuel Macron at a Palace of Versailles banquet in 2023 (Daniel Leal/PA) The King, in his toast, will reflect on 1,000 years of 'shared history and culture between our two peoples', including many of the royal family's personal connections to France. 'For centuries our citizens have admired each other, amused each other, and imitated each other', he will say, and reveal how he remains 'in awe of France's extraordinary attributes and achievements'. Charles will also hail the Anglo-French partnership as vital amid the many challenges of today, saying: 'Our two countries face a multitude of complex threats, emanating from multiple directions. 'As friends and as allies, we face them together.' The King delivering a speech at the State Banquet at the Palace of Versailles, Paris in 2023 (Daniel Leal/PA) It marks the first state visit to the UK by an EU head of state since Brexit, and will see Mr Macron address parliamentarians in the Palace of Westminster's Royal Gallery and, on Thursday, join a UK-France Summit at Downing Street. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has signalled a 'reset' in relations between the UK and Europe as he looks to heal the wounds caused by the Brexit years. Defence, growth, security, migration and French tactics on tackling small boats will be discussed, with the two leaders expected to dial in to speak to other allied nations who are looking to support any future peace deal in Ukraine. Downing Street said on Monday that the UK's relationship with France was 'key' to dealing with boat crossings, following reports French police officers had used knives to puncture a boat off the coast. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during a bilateral meeting with Mr Macron at the G7 summit in June (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The Prince and Princess of Wales will also play a role by meeting the president and the French first lady at RAF Northolt on Tuesday morning on behalf of the King and travelling with them to Windsor. Charles and Camilla will formerly greet their guests on a Royal Dais constructed on Datchet Road in Windsor town centre, with the castle in the backdrop as gun salutes sound in nearby Home Park. The King, the Queen, the Waleses and Mr and Mrs Macron will then take a carriage procession through Windsor and along part of the Long Walk which leads to the castle, just as former French president Nicolas Sarkozy did in 2008. Mr Macron's state visit to the UK, from July 8-10, is the first to be hosted at Windsor Castle, rather than Buckingham Palace, in a more than a decade since that of the Irish president Michael D Higgins in 2014. Guests listen during a speech by Queen Elizabeth II in honour of the President of Ireland Michael D Higgins at Windsor Castle in 2014 (Dan Kitwood/PA) State visits, which capitalise on the royals' soft power to strengthen diplomatic ties overseas, will be hosted at Windsor for the next few years while reservicing work continues at the London Palace and starts to affect the state rooms. The last state visit to the UK from France was in March 2008 when the now-disgraced Mr Sarkozy, since convicted of corruption and influence peddling, and his wife Carla Bruni, were the guests of Elizabeth II at Windsor. The arrangements are likely to form the template for US President Donald Trump's high-profile state visit in September, but much will depend on security considerations for the US leader, who survived an assassination attempt last year. A ceremonial welcome will be staged in the castle's quadrangle with Camilla, William, Kate and Mrs Macron watching as the King and Mr Macron inspect the Guard of Honour. The Prince and Princess of Wales will also take part in the state visit (Yui Mok/PA) Lunch will be hosted in the State Dining Room, after which the president and his wife, the King and Queen and members of the royal family will view a special exhibition of items relating to France from the Royal Collection in the Green Drawing and Mrs Macron will also travel to London on Tuesday afternoon to see the Grave of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey and visit the Palace of Westminster where the French leader will address parliamentarians before meeting opposition leaders at Lancaster House. The King and president will both deliver speeches at the banquet in the medieval St George's Hall, where some 160 guests will be seated at the elaborately decorated 50 metre table, which will run the full length of the vast room. A state visit is being hosted at Windsor Castle for the first time in 11 years (Steve Parsons/PA) Kensington Palace has yet to confirm whether Kate will attend the banquet. The princess opened up about her 'rollercoaster' cancer recovery, its life-changing impact and putting on a 'brave face' last week. The King and Queen paid a state visit to France in September 2023 and enjoy a warm rapport with Mr and Mrs Macron, who will stay in the castle during their trip. Mrs Macron, 72, sparked a storm in May when she was seen pushing her husband's face away with both hands before they disembarked a plane in Vietnam. Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte (Gareth Fuller/PA) The 47-year-old president dismissed the gesture – caught on camera – as horseplay, but it caused a stir in France, with daily Le Parisien newspaper asking: 'Slap or 'squabble'?' The couple, married since 2007, met at the high school where Mr Macron was a student and Brigitte was a married teacher. The visit comes a year after the UK and France celebrated 120 years since the signing of the Entente Cordiale. The Anglo-French agreements in 1904 ushered in improved relations between the two countries which had fought against each other during the Napoleonic Wars.
Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Western Telegraph
Macron to arrive in UK with Starmer set to press for help on small boats
Mr Macron will be hosted by the King during his three-day state visit, the first by a French president since 2008. But there will be a political dimension to the visit as well, with the president expected to meet the Prime Minister for a Franco-British summit later in the week. Top of the agenda for that summit is likely to be action on small boat crossings as Sir Keir attempts to solve one of voters' key issues. More than 20,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats this year, putting 2025 on course to be a record year (Gareth Fuller/PA) This could include a so-called 'one in, one out' deal to exchange Channel migrants for asylum seekers in Europe who have a link to the UK. Such an agreement is thought still to be on the table, but a deal has not yet been done. Ministers have also been pushing for France to revise its rules to allow police to intervene when boats are in shallow water, rather than requiring them still to be on land. Last week, French authorities appeared to change tactics when officers used a knife to puncture an inflatable boat after it had launched. But on Monday, Downing Street appeared to suggest a new approach had been discussed but not yet rolled out. A spokesman for Number 10 said: 'We are the first Government to have secured agreement from the French to review their maritime tactics so their border enforcement teams can intervene in shallow waters. 'This is operationally and legally complex, but we're working closely with the French. We expect this to be operationalised soon.' Mr Macron's state visit comes a week after the total number of people crossing the Channel in small boats this year passed 20,000. The total now stands at 21,117, according to PA news agency analysis of Home Office figures, and is a record for this point in the year. During Mr Macron's visit, he is expected to address Parliament, as his predecessor-but-one, Nicolas Sarkozy, did during his state visit in 2008. Sir Keir and the French president are also expected to co-host a meeting of the 'coalition of the willing', the peacekeeping mission proposed to be deployed to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire with Russia. The Prime Minister spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday afternoon ahead of the talks, agreeing to provide an update on the 'significant progress' being made by coalition planners. Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey urged Sir Keir to use the state visit to create a 'united front' against Donald Trump's 'damaging trade war'. He said: 'The Government has worked hard to negotiate but, every time, Donald Trump's boomerang tariffs come back as he moves the goal posts again and again. 'It's time to make clear to Trump that we will not take his playground bullying and divide-and-rule tactics lying down. That is the best way to stand up for British jobs, protect our economy and end the uncertainty of this trade war for good.'
Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Western Telegraph
Public inquiry begins into ‘horrific' Southport murders
Chairman Sir Adrian Fulford, a former vice-president of the Court of Appeal, will begin proceedings with an opening statement at Liverpool Town Hall. And on Wednesday, the inquiry will hear evidence from four families whose children were injured in the attack. A key question for the inquiry is whether the attack could or should have been prevented, given what was known about the killer. Bebe King, left to right, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar were murdered at a dance class in the town last year (Merseyside Police/PA) Axel Rudakubana was given a life sentence in January, with a minimum term of 52 years – one of the highest minimum terms on record – for murdering Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport on July 29 last year. The 18-year-old also attempted to murder eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, as well as class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes. Sir Adrian said: 'Today, just less than a year since one of the most horrific crimes in our country's history took place in Southport, we open the independent inquiry into the events surrounding the attack and events leading up to it. 'Tomorrow I will then begin to hear from some of the families whose children were injured on that terrible day. Inquiry chairman Sir Adrian Fulford said he was 'committed to proceeding at pace and with rigour' (Rick Findler PA) 'We will hold two days of hearings this week and then resume hearings on September 8 at Liverpool Town Hall when I will hear from more of the victims, survivors and their families. 'My focus throughout this inquiry will be a thorough and forensic investigation of all the circumstances surrounding the attack and the events leading up to it. 'This will include the perpetrator's history and interactions with all the relevant agencies, how they shared information and responded to the risks that he posed. I will then move into a second phase next year where I will consider the wider issues of children and young people being drawn into extreme violence. 'As chair of this inquiry, I am committed to proceeding at pace and with rigour whilst balancing the needs of those who live with the continued trauma of what happened in Southport in July 2024.' Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced the public inquiry in January (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced the public inquiry in January to help understand what went wrong and prevent any repetition of similar incidents. Three separate referrals were made to the Government's counter-terror programme Prevent about Rudakubana's behaviour in the years before the attack, as well as six separate calls to police. A review into the Prevent referrals published in February found there was sufficient risk posed by Rudakubana to keep his cases within Prevent active but that these were closed prematurely while too much focus was placed on a lack of distinct ideology. The inquiry will draw on evidence from interviews with witnesses and disclosure from 15 organisations, including MI5, Counter-Terrorism Policing, NHS England and Merseyside Police. The widespread rioting and civil unrest following the murders is not being examined by the inquiry. Rachael Wong, director at law firm Bond Turner, representing the three bereaved families, said: 'We know that nothing the inquiry reveals or subsequently recommends will change the unimaginable loss felt by the families of Elsie, Alice and Bebe, but we all now have a responsibility to ensure that something like this never happens again. 'We will be doing all we can to assist the chair through the inquiry and uncover the truth. 'It is only through intense public scrutiny that real change can be effected.' The inquiry begins at 2pm.
