UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp urges widening police powers to ban pro-Palestine protests after Manchester synagogue attack, citing safety risks.
As reported by The Independent, Chris Philp urges stronger police powers to stop “disgraceful” protests after the Manchester synagogue attack.
Protest organisers in Manchester and London ignore calls from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to cancel demonstrations after a terror attack kills two.
The Prime Minister asks protesters to respect British Jews’ grief, while Jewish leaders called the demonstrations “phenomenally tone deaf.” A central London protest against the ban on Palestine Action is set for Saturday.
What did Chris Philp say about protests after the Manchester attack?
Conservative cabinet minister Chris Philp stated he would “go further than saying simply they should step back.”
He said,
“I think it’s extremely insensitive, grossly insensitive to the Jewish community in Manchester, but across the whole United Kingdom, who are still grieving following the appalling murder that we saw on Thursday morning.”
Mr Philp stated,
“And secondly, both the police in Greater Manchester, but also the Metropolitan Police in London have said that the resources, the police resources required to police these protests mean they may not be able to properly protect synagogues and the Jewish community at this obviously very sensitive time.”
He added,
“So for those two reasons, I think the organisers should call off these protests. I think it’s frankly disgraceful that they have not done so.”
Mr Philp urged the government to widen laws to prevent static demonstrations, stating,
“I think the way these protests have been organised, which are static, means that the police under the Public Order Act 1986 don’t have the power in law to prevent them.”
He stated,
“So I do think we should follow the advice of John Woodcock, Lord Walney, who is reviewing the law in this area, to say that it should be widened to allow static demonstrations to be banned if it would cause serious public disruption.”
The shadow home secretary supported crossbench peer Lord Walney’s view that the cumulative impact on the Jewish community should be considered.
What did the Community Security Trust say about Saturday’s London protest?
A Community Security Trust leader called Saturday’s planned protests “phenomenally tone deaf.”
Dave Rich, policy director at the Jewish security charity, stated,
“I think it’s phenomenally tone deaf, to say the least, for so many people who claim to care about human rights and care about freedoms, to be taking police resources away from protecting the rights and freedoms of Jewish people to live their lives and go to synagogue in safety, all to support a proscribed terrorist organisation, which is not the same thing as supporting the Palestinians.”
He added,
“And I think it’s remarkably self absorbed and insensitive to say the least.”
What did Sir Jonathon Porritt say about the Defend Our Juries protest?
Human rights activist Sir Jonathon Porritt said,
“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.”
He stated,
“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.”
Mr Porritt called delaying the protest “an unwise decision” and highlighted the group’s efforts to raise concerns with the government.
Police views on the “Lift The Ban” protest in Trafalgar Square
The “Lift The Ban” demonstration in Trafalgar Square is expected to draw around 1,500 attendees. Attendees include priests, vicars, pensioners, and healthcare staff.
The Metropolitan Police have continued urging the group to cancel its planned protest.
Met’s Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said,
“At a time when we want to be deploying every available officer to ensure the safety of those communities, we are instead having to plan for a gathering of more than 1,000 people in Trafalgar Square on Saturday in support of a terrorist organisation.”
He added,
“By deliberately choosing to encourage mass law breaking on this scale, Defend Our Juries are drawing valuable resources away from the communities of London at a time when they are needed most.”
The Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine group is set to host another event, following two years of regular demonstrations.
Sir Stephen Watson, Greater Manchester Police Chief, urged protesters to rethink the timing of their demonstration.
In response to the attack, police officers have been deployed to synagogues and Jewish institutions to increase security and provide reassurance.
Keir Starmer’s views on protests after the Manchester attack
Sir Keir Starmer warned that the events could cause further distress for victims’ families and the Jewish community.
He added,
“I urge anyone thinking about protesting this weekend to recognise and respect the grief of British Jews this week. This is a moment of mourning. It is not a time to stoke tension and cause further pain.”
Manchester synagogue attack
The Manchester synagogue attack occurred on the morning of October 2, 2025. It targeted Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation during Yom Kippur.
The attacker, 35-year-old Jihad al-Shamie, used a car and a knife before being shot dead by police.
Two worshippers, Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, were killed. Police confirmed one victim and one injured person were accidentally shot during the response.
Key details about the Palestine Action group
The Palestine Action group was established in the UK on July 30, 2020. Its main goal is to disrupt the arms trade with Israel.
The banned group aims to end British and global complicity in what it calls Israel’s “apartheid regime” and “genocide.”
It also targets the arms industry through direct action tactics. After activists damaged military aircraft, the UK declared Palestine Action a terrorist group on July 5, 2025.