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BUFFER ZONE
Give cops new powers to protect MPs homes from chanting pro Palestinian mobs, No10 adviser says
Chanting protesters have turned up at MPs homes after dark and stripped half naked outside offices
POLICE should impose new buffer zones outside MPs homes to stop pro Palestinian mobs, the government’s adviser on political violence says.
John Woodcock has demanded the tough action after a string of MPs have had their family homes and offices besieged by angry crowds.
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Earlier this week, a 100-strong crowd surrounded Tory MP Tobias Ellwood’s family home after dark and bellowed chants accusing him of being a war criminal.
Tory whip Robert Largan arrived at his office on Friday to find Gaza protesters - including two tubby middle aged men stripped half naked pretending to be hostages - outside his office.
Mr Woodcock, whose formal title is Lord Walney, has called for cops to get new powers - known as Enhanced Public Space Protection Orders (E-PSPOs) - to force crowds to move away from MPs offices.
He has put the recommendation in his report to No10.
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He is now urgently speaking to government officials to beef up his recommendations to include MPs' homes too.
Lord Walney told the Sun on Sunday: “Angry mobs turning up at a politician’s home is not on, and it could be highly dangerous given two MPs have been murdered by extremists in recent years and others attacked.
“If we don’t make clear to extreme Palestine activists that targeting MPs’ homes will not be tolerated, we could end up needing to station overstretched police officers permanently outside their property.
“So police forces need to explain why they are not routinely using existing powers to deter this intimidation, and the government should consider granting additional dispersal powers if current laws are not strong enough.”
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Mr Ellwood said: “Unless standards of acceptable conduct are agreed aggressive demonstrators will attempt to 'normalise' such provocative behaviour which could easily ratchet out of control with someone getting hurt.”
Tory MP Robert Largan arrived at his constituency office in the peak District to find a gang of Gaza protesters - including two men stripped half naked pretending to be captives.
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He said of the protesters: “Lots of them didn’t seem to have a clue about the basic facts of what’s happening on the ground and a few of them seemed to enjoy the experience of dressing up and having a day out.”
He added: “Maybe don’t cosplay as a Hamas fighter topless on the high street in the Peak District.
"It’s probably not the most effective way of getting your message across. Maybe some people just really enjoy taking their clothes of in public?
“The weird thing was after they’d stopped posing for photos one kept his top off talking to me and seemed to be really enjoying himself.”
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