Pro-Palestine protesters are turning London into a ‘no-go zone for Jews’, Britain’s counter-extremism tsar has claimed.
Robin Simcox slammed the Government for letting extremists go ‘unchallenged for too long’, allowing extremist groups to fester.
He warned that the Government had allowed extremists to ‘lurk just below the terrorism threshold’.
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, thousands of pro-Palestinian supporters have marched through the streets of London.
There has also been a huge increase in anti-Semitism in the capital since Hamas’s October 7 attacks that saw 1,139 people killed and 240 taken hostage.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators march in London on October 14, 2023, in support of Gaza
Robin Simcox (pictured) slammed the Government for letting extremists go ‘unchallenged for too long’, allowing extremist groups to fester
Writing in the Telegraph, Mr Simcox said Britain has a ‘permissive environment for radicalisation developing that needs urgently addressing’.
He added that the Government needed to take a ‘leading role’ in tackling all types of extremism.
The counter-extremism tsar said Downing Street now had a chance to take charge of the situation while championing ‘respect for the rule of law, civility, and decency’ – which he said had been in ‘short supply’ since October 7.
It is believed that Mr Simcox hopes there will be tougher restrictions on protests that could include forcing marches to be static demonstrations instead.
Rishi Sunak summoned force leaders to Downing Street to discuss their handling of the protests
Scotland Yard chief Sir Mark Rowley (pictured) suggested that policing had become ‘an anvil for these issues to be beaten out on’
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has previously called for the Met Police to take tougher action against protesters.
Yet Mr Simcox said the Government could also do more by refusing entry to hate preachers touring the UK.
Next week, Michael Gove is set to announce a broader definition of extremism that will allow the Government, universities and councils to stop funding for Islamist and Right-wing groups.
Ministers are reportedly likely to name which groups will fall under the new definition in Parliament when it is announced.