𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Police chiefs face a potential law and order nightmare on Saturday after Keir Starmer ignited a fresh row over protests.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to descend on London for a pro-Palestine rally, the Nakba Day rally, and Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom march.

Scotland Yard is deploying 4,000 officers and could even draft in armoured vehicles to prevent the two rival marches from clashing.

But the Prime Minister, on the eve of the demonstrations, revealed he had banned more “foreign far-Right agitators” from attending Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom March in London, despite widespread concerns over pro-Palestine rallies.

Downing Street on Friday confirmed 11 people have now been told they cannot travel to the UK, adding they were “intent on coming to the UK to spew their extremist views”.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said Sir Keir should ban pro-Palestine protests.

She told GB News: “I have been very clear that it is time to ban those marches. They are creating a climate of fear and intimidation for Jewish people.

“We saw what happened in Golders Green, those attempted murders. We saw what happened in Manchester and Heaton Park, those actual murders in a synagogue.

“That’s what I’m very worried about. And that’s why I keep talking about how we need to get serious about tackling anti-Semitism.”

Asked about those attending the Unite the Kingdom rally, Mrs Badenoch said: “I don’t know who these people are.

“A government has a right to keep people out of the country if they think they’re going to cause problems here. Maybe if he was able to do the same with the small boats as well and the problematic migrants coming here, taking advantage of our country, I think he’d get more respect.

“But I’m not going to stop complaining about a Prime Minister keeping people out to the country if they’re causing trouble. That’s what they’re supposed to do. He needs to do it more, especially when it comes to small boats. That’s why we’ve got a plan on leaving the ECHR and a borders plan that will solve this problem that has been plaguing us for the last six years or so.”

Reform’s Robert Jenrick declared: “The Prime Minister has shifted from ‘Island of Strangers’ empathy for people worried about mass migration to hysterical denunciations.

“The only thing these positions have in common is that both are products of Keir Starmer’s desperation and failure.”

Tens of thousands of football fans will also descend on Wembley for the FA Cup final, creating a potential nightmare for police chiefs.

The Prime Minister said: “We’re in a fight for the soul of this country, and the Unite the Kingdom march this weekend is a stark reminder of exactly what we are up against. Its organisers are peddling hatred and division, plain and simple.

“We will block those coming into the UK who seek to incite hatred and violence. For anyone who sets out to wreak havoc on our streets, to intimidate or threaten anyone, you can expect to face the full force of the law.

“My Government will always champion peaceful protest, but will act decisively against hatred. We all have a responsibility to speak out against those spouting vile, divisive views wherever we see it.

“We are a country built on decency, fairness and respect, at our best when people from different backgrounds come together in common purpose. That is what we must fight for.”

Live facial recognition technology will be used for the first time for a protest.

Cameras will be set up at a location in north London where supporters of Unite the Kingdom are expected to gather before the march.

Images of those attending will be checked against a database of wanted offenders, including 50 people being sought by police following violence at the group’s previous march in September.

And Pro-Palestine protesters face a hate crime crackdown during Saturday’s mass marches.

Prosecutors are being told to focus on whether actions in the demonstrations can “reach a wider audience”, for example by chanting or waving flags for social media clips.

Scotland Yard has confirmed officers will arrest individuals who incite hatred, including using chants such as “globalise the intifada”.

Stephen Parkinson, director of public prosecutions, said: “Everyone has the right to protest and to express their views freely. That right is a cornerstone of our democracy.

“However, it does not extend to using words, images or symbols to spread hatred, incite violence or cause fear and intimidation within our communities.

“The guidance focuses in particular on offences of stirring up hatred under Part III of the Public Order Act 1986, which can result in sentences of up to seven years imprisonment. This guidance clarifies how we review these cases, giving greater transparency about our decisions.”

Prosecutors are told to consider the context in which chants are used, including the wider context of heightened tensions, whether local, national or global, which may clearly be relevant to issues in the case, such as the suspect’s intention and the consequential impact of the suspect’s actions.

“This is not about restricting free speech. It is about preventing hate crime and protecting the public, particularly at a time of heightened tensions. Where the line into criminality is crossed, we will not hesitate to prosecute.”