8 March 2024, 03:33 GMTUpdated 1 hour agoImage caption, Robin SimcoxLondon has develop into a “no-go zone for Jews” all over weekend pro-Palestinian marches, the federal government’s counter-extremism commissioner has mentioned.Robin Simcox instructed ministers to “be bolder and be prepared to just accept upper prison chance” when tackling extremism.Ultimate week Top Minister Rishi Sunak warned in a speech of forces “seeking to tear the rustic aside”. Forestall the Conflict Coalition, a gaggle collaborating within the marches, mentioned there used to be “no use” for Jewish other people to be scared. He mentioned he now wanted the “insurance policies to fulfill the dimensions of the problem”. Mr Simcox mentioned the introduction of a brand new definition of extremism, which the BBC understands can be set out subsequent week, had a “transparent function”, and can be used “to lead long run selections over who the federal government does and does no longer interact with and fund”.He additionally mentioned the federal government already had “extra energy to take on extremism than it every so often thinks”.”We’ve no longer betrayed democracy if extremists are now not ready to function tv channels,” he mentioned. “And we will be able to no longer have develop into an authoritarian state if London is now not authorized to be become a no-go zone for Jews each weekend.””These kinds of issues and extra have develop into normalised in the United Kingdom,” he added. ‘Irresponsible’Alternatively, John Rees, a Forestall the Conflict Coalition nationwide officer, insisted there used to be “completely no use” for Jewish other people to be fearful by way of the demonstrations. He mentioned he understood why some would possibly really feel scared, however blamed Mr Sunak for scary the Jewish neighborhood, calling the high minister “irresponsible”. “After all, if the federal government comes to a decision to whip up that roughly worry, then persons are going to really feel that, in fact they’re,” he advised BBC Radio 4’s These days programme.Mr Simcox used to be appointed to his advisory function by way of then-House Secretary Priti Patel in July 2022, after acting it in an intervening time capability since March 2021.He’s a former Margaret Thatcher Fellow at The Heritage Basis, a US-based conservative assume tank.For the reason that get started of the war in Gaza, common pro-Palestine marches have taken position in London. Ultimate month, House Secretary James Cleverly instructed the teams to finish their protests pronouncing “you have got made your level”. The teams have argued that anti-Muslim “hysteria” from some MPs and force from the federal government have provoked the Metropolitan Police into heavy-handed and “discriminatory” policing of “non violent mass protests”.
