The cenotaph and poppy sellers

[LittleMooli]

Hi, would anyone mind explaining to me why the media seems to be portraying that remembrance commemorations are being targeted by pro-palestinian protests? I don't really know enough to know how the two things are linked.

Well, they're on camera throwing a steel barricade at the police, and there's footage of one hitting a police officer in the face, plus repeated attempts to break through cordons. Plus the incident with the knife (not sure of details) and the nicking of police riot gear (on camera). Plus attempts to storm Cenotaph and disturbance next to Field of Remembrance. More EDL types arrested today than the total for all Palestine marches put together

Accounts on what happened re Gove vary (only one tabloid says there was violence, police were there and I do think it'll be properly investigated.

Fireworks were 4 Nov, not seen reports from today

I've never really understood why people are offended by "Jew", unless it's used in an obviously offensive way. I actually thought about changing my wording to somehow change it from "Jew" as I've noticed some people take offense to it, but couldn't really think of another way to phrase it. So I left it!

So really, there's no point in me having responded to you as I clearly have no answers so should probably just have kept quiet 😅 Hopefully someone else can come along and explain why they would find it offensive. I personally don't :) (and yes, I am Jewish. I am a proud Jew!)

Ha thanks for the reply!
Maybe Jewish people can call themselves Jews but it could be rude from others?

Further to my last, I've just seen there were over 100 arrests of those on the Palestine march today

(much smaller proportion then the EDL numbers were of their total number, but still deplorable)

I’ve seen one report of a woman being arrested for carrying a placard comparing Israel to the Nazis. I’m glad that the police are now taking this seriously. Too many people have been doing this with impunity for too long.

So ~0.03%?

And how many far right “defenders” were there? Because 82 of them were arrested, and I’m sure their numbers weren’t close to the 300,000 at the (peaceful) Palestine March.

x.com/metpoliceuk/status/1723420872403296605?s=46

@mpsw

x.com/tpointuk/status/1723414789412560916?s=46

I'd prefer not to have linked to this X account but funnily enough, no other more palatable commentator seems to be shown it. Almost like it doesn't fit the narrative.

Plus the incident with the knife (not sure of details)

This knife incident? Or another one. There's one where a member of the "Far Right" he was arrested on "suspicion" of having a knife but that has not been confirmed as yet.

x.com/andreaskoureas_/status/1723413448166449340?s=46

There are multiple incidents of attacks/racism and anti social behaviour/intimidation from Palestine March supporters today if you care to look but you'd never know it reading Mumsnet. I genuinely don't get it. Are people so glued to their preferred narrative that they refuse to look outside of it? I like to have ALL the information and then make up my mind. Until recently I genuinely believed that was the majority viewpoint.

@MCOut Yes, however London is the capital city of England and is of political and cultural significance to the nation as a whole. It is home to the cenotaph and the field of remembrance which are national monuments. It does not belong purely to the people who live there.

I have been wearing a small Palestine flag pin on my coat lapel, and my poppy on the other side. I'm due at a remembrance service tomorrow - do you think it will be seen as provocative to wear them both? Shall I just remove the flag pin for the service? I don't want to offend anyone but I've been wanting to show my support for the Palestinian people.

I’d imagine the people making that placard knew exactly the symbolism they were using.

Accounts on what happened re Gove vary (only one tabloid says there was violence, police were there and I do think it'll be properly investigated.

x.com/realbenbloch/status/1723390723037315462?s=46

Gove.

From The Times: Michael Gove, the communities secretary, had to be bundled into a police van for his own safety after he was confronted by dozens of pro-Palestine activists while walking through Victoria station in central London.

Unacceptable conduct by pro Palestinians against jews in St John's Wood London. This the sort of people amongst whom we are required to live here in London many of whom also seem to be Hamas supporters too.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/11/11/protesters-extreme-anti-semitic-signs-pro-palestinian-march/

I’m not suggesting Remembrance events should not take place in London. Equally no one should prevent those who want to pay their respects from doing so. However, I’m arguing the expectation that everybody else should prioritise the observance of a culturally specific event is unreasonable. It’s unreasonable before you even consider the atrocities the march was calling attention to. It is not disrespectful to not partake in what does not concern you.

Very well put. Thank you.

Smoke bombs being let off outside a synagogue in London today.

x.com/visegrad24/status/1723421504459698615?s=46

Poppy sellers forced to move to make space for the demonstrators who decided to stage a sit in right next to their stall in a huge station.

x.com/mrandyngo/status/1723362774066049261?s=46

Protesters wearing scarfs and Hamas headbands.

But no they're "peaceful", no "hate" here and the biggest problem here was a load knuckleheads, 10 hours ago, who were prevented from going to the cenotaph, had their bullshit shut down swiftly and efficiently and we never heard another word out of them. I am also reading that the majority of the 82 arrests were preventative arrests to get them out of the area and they've now all been released. I'll keep looking to confirm that though.

Yes horrible

It's not part of the march - it's back near Buckingham Palace a few hours after the march had ended.

(But I expect those caught on camera had been part of the march earlier).

And yes, that there are those who act like utter shits does "fit the narrative" and it's important to identify, arrest and idc prosecute those who break the law. Which also includes those who support Hamas, a proscribed organisation.

But that number (estimated around 150?) needs too be put in the context of 300,000+

And there were 308 arrests made at Notting Hill Carnival this year. Just for reference.

Tommys little army split up and tried several times to get to the main march in smaller groups from several locations which the Met largely prevented to their credit (that's not something I say often).

I despair at these 'pro Palestinian' marches. They seem to be anti establishment marches populated by the same sad sacks who used to sell Socialist Worker on University Avenue in Glasgow in the 1970s

@Ibizafun Um, maybe that's because the UK government was openly supporting Ukraine? A very different position to the one it's taking on Israel's decimation of Gaza.

@MissAtomicBomb1
I attended a child's birthday party today, Armistice Day. It was from 9:30-11:30. Do you think it was disrespectful of the hosts to have the party today?

Just asking because the whole class was invited, and none of the other parents seemed the least bit bothered by it (nor was I). No 2 minutes of silence was observed either.

The OP, which seems to have been hugely digressed from, was asking about remembrance commemorations/pro Palestinian protests. I responded saying that holding a huge March through London on Armistice day could be viewed as disrespectful.
From this, various posters have quoted me as supporting Suella Braverman/EDL, stating that poppy sellers have been attacked, and now that no one should be going about their daily business. None of which Is true but says a lot about how quick others are to twist the truth to suit them.

You do you. No one is going to bat an eyelid at anyone holding a kids party, but it's disingenuous to suggest it's on a par with half a million matching through London.