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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Bill McLoughlin

Some pro-Palestine protests have 'crossed the line,' says Rachel Reeves

Some pro-Palestine protests aimed at MPs have "crossed the line from protest to intimidation", Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said.

As part of the national day of action, protests took place across London and the UK on Saturday.

In Camden, protesters marched towards Sir Keir Starmer's office in Camden to call for a ceasefire in Gaza chanting "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free".Asked on Sky News' Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips programme about protests outside MPs' offices, Ms Reeves said: "I believe in the right to protest, I don't believe in the right to intimidate.

(AFP via Getty Images)

"Some of those protests, I believe, over the last few days have crossed the line from protest to intimidation. Protesting outside people's homes, putting pressure on them in that way, I think it's totally unacceptable.

"In a democracy we elect our MPs and they make decisions. They represent their constituents, but they also listen to all of the evidence.

"Anything that would attempt to intimidate an MP to vote in a certain way or to put pressure on them - it is anti-democratic in my view."

She added: "I would urge those people who are conducting those protests - I understand why you call for a ceasefire - but do things in a responsible way, and don't intimidate or put pressure in that way on elected representatives, or anyone else for that matter."

Sir Keir has faced fierce criticism over the conflict in Gaza and during the week, 56 MPs defied a three-line whip to back an SNP amendment calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Eight frontbenchers, including Jess Phillips, quit the frontbench in order to back the amendment, which was rejected 293 to 125, with a majority of 168.

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