UK: Prime Minister's speech about peaceful protests is 'deeply worrying'

In response to Rishi Sunak’s speech today, Ilyas Nagdee, Amnesty International UK’s Racial Justice Director, said:

“The overwhelmingly peaceful protests about mass atrocities in Gaza must not be conflated with extremism.

“People are protesting because of the terrifyingly high civilian death toll in Gaza, which is still mounting inexorably, and the Government’s lack of action for an immediate ceasefire to stem the unbearable suffering.

“The threat to impose yet more restrictions on people’s right to peacefully protest is deeply worrying and suggests the Government is determined to silence those who may disagree with its policies. This is entirely in line with the chaotic patchwork of legislation and sweeping policing powers we have seen introduced in recent years.

“By announcing more funding for the Prevent programme - in which Islamophobic stereotypes play a major role in referrals - the Prime Minister appears to be suggesting that Muslims will be targeted in this new Government crackdown, which is incredibly concerning and must be opposed.”