Andrew Dismore

I questioned  Mayor Boris Johnson and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan Howe at the London Assembly Plenary on 3^rd June, over the need for action over the anti- Semitic rally planned by the far right in Golders Green.

 

I said to the Mayor:

‘At Mayor’s questions  2 weeks ago I raised with you the intended far right demonstration planned for July in Golders Green, which you said you would investigate but were reluctant to stop due to defending free speech. 

‘On Monday, I sent you a link to their website advertising the event, which reads like the Nazis’ Der Sturmer newspaper,  complete with anti-Semitic cartoons, caricatures and anti-Semitic libels-  nothing to do with free speech and  clearly designed to incite race hatred.

‘What have you done over the last 2 weeks  about stopping this event, which poses a clear public order threat to the Jewish community in my constituency?

‘Will you ban them from using public transport to get there? Will you stop them congregating on the tube station and TfL land?‘

I also pressed the Commissioner on whether he would  prosecute those behind the website and if he would ban or impose stringent conditions on the event.

 

‘Whilst the Mayor  was concerned over the rally and he said he had referred  this to the  police, he was reluctant to take action that would deal with it. He will consider stopping them congregating  on TfL premises, but I first  raised this with him over 2 weeks ago and he still hasn’t  made his mind up about it.

The response from the Commissioner  was more  encouraging, in that they are examining with legal advice whether the website has committed offences, which I think is self evident  and he is looking at imposing conditions to avoid disorder form the event.

I will continue to press the Mayor for action, as this rally must not be allowed to intimidate and threaten local residents and business in Golders Green as it is clearly intended to do.