We’re now hearing from armed forces minister James Heappey, who is discussing the massive pro-Palestinian rally and counter-protests that took place across London over the weekend.
He says there may need to be a change in the law to give police more power to deal with protests.
“I think it’s entirely right that the government would be looking at whether or not there are things that need to be done legislatively in order to give the police greater powers to police those protests better,” he says.
“It is right that that’s the sort of appropriate thing to do if it looks like protests are happening again and again and again and that people are turning up each week carrying placards and shouting chants that are hateful,” he adds.
“Clearly the law needs to be strengthened to avoid that.”
He would not draw on what exactly that legal reform might look like.
Out of hundreds of thousands of pro-ceasefire demonstrators, more than 100 were detained after breaking away from Saturday’s march. The Metropolitan Police said the group launched fireworks and many were wearing face coverings.
Earlier in the day, at a far smaller counter-protest, at least 92 far-right counter-protesters were arrested in Pimlico, central London, “to prevent a breach of the peace”.
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