Corbyn and McDonnell face police interview after pro-Palestinian rally
ReutersMPs Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell have agreed to be interviewed below warning by police following a pro-Palestinian rally in central London on Saturday, the BBC understands.
The previous Labour chief, 75, and former shadow chancellor, 73, will voluntarily attend a police station within the capital because the Metropolitan Police investigates what it says was a coordinated effort by organisers to breach circumstances imposed on the occasion.
They are going to be interviewed on Sunday afternoon.
9 different folks have been charged with public order offences following arrests on the protest organised by the Palestine Solidarity Marketing campaign (PSC).
The Met mentioned 24 folks had additionally been bailed and 48 stay in custody.
In an announcement, the pressure mentioned the 9 folks charged – who embrace Chris Nineham, a chief steward on the march, and Corbyn’s brother Piers Corbyn – are resulting from seem at Westminster Magistrates’ Courtroom within the coming days.
It added that three males, who the pressure didn’t title, have agreed to attend voluntarily at a central London police station to be interviewed below felony warning.
A “75-year-old, 73-year-old and 61-year-old will likely be interviewed by officers this afternoon”, the Met mentioned.
The protest got here as Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire and hostage launch deal.
A static rally involving a number of thousand folks came about in Whitehall after police blocked plans to carry a march from Portland Place, close to the headquarters of the BBC.
Police mentioned a bunch of protesters tried to march from the rally and had been stopped a brief distance away after breaking by way of a police line to collect at Trafalgar Sq..
In a put up on X on Saturday, the Met posted a photograph of what it described as a bunch “that compelled its approach by way of the police line” being held on the north-west nook of Trafalgar Sq..
In response, Corbyn mentioned in a separate separate put up: “This isn’t an correct description of occasions in any respect”.
“I used to be a part of a delegation of audio system, who wished to peacefully carry and lay flowers in reminiscence of kids in Gaza who had been killed.”
“This was facilitated by the police. We didn’t pressure our approach by way of.”
McDonnell echoed Corbyn’s feedback in his personal put up on X, saying: “We didn’t pressure our approach via, the police allowed us to go via & when stopped in Trafalgar Sq. we laid our flowers down & dispersed.”
Corbyn now sits because the impartial MP for Islington North. Hayes and Harlington MP McDonnell at present sits as an impartial, after Labour suspended the whip from him for six months in July 2024 for voting in opposition to the federal government over little one profit guidelines.
Police had imposed a situation on the organisers of the rally below the Public Order Act that prevented them gathering exterior the BBC’s Broadcasting Home due to its shut proximity to a synagogue and a danger there might be “severe disruption” as congregants attended companies on the Jewish holy day.
An extra situation required the rally to be confined to Whitehall.
The ten folks charged with public order offences are:
- Piers Corbyn, 77, of Elephant and Citadel, London
- Christopher Nineham, 62, of Bow, London
- Angela Zelter, 73, Knighton, Powys
- Tessa Roe-Stanton, 20, Starr Thomas, 20, and Christian Adair, 23, all of Brockley, London
- Monday Rosenfeld, 21, of Limehouse, London
- Matthew Brennan, 44, of St George, Bristol
- David Okay, 40, of Kilburn, London
