Pro-Palestinian protesters have disrupted a speech given by David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, during a conference on foreign policy held by the Fabian Society in London. The protesters interrupted Lammy’s speech about ten minutes after it began, as a woman climbed onto the stage while brandishing a Palestinian flag. The demonstrators accused the Labour Party of not taking adequate action to address the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel.
Security personnel repeatedly interrupted Lammy’s speech as they tried to remove the protesters. The Free Palestine Coalition released a statement in which they announced that “several of its members” had infiltrated the conference to bring attention to what they perceive as a lack of action on the part of Lammy and his party. They further added that they could not see how Lammy was holding the commitment to human rights and international law as we enter the 106th day of Israel’s assault on Gaza.
The disruption of the event is a clear indication of the ongoing tension regarding the conflict between Israel and Palestine. It remains a divisive issue in the UK, with protests, counter-protests, and disruptions occurring regularly. However, the event’s organisers expressed disappointment at the disruption, stating that they support “free and open debates” within the party, and they do not support actions that stifle such discussions.
Although the protesters were removed, the interruption of Lammy’s speech has further highlighted the UK’s polarised political landscape and the difficulty of engaging in substantive discussions on contentious issues, such as the conflict between Israel and Palestine. While both sides of the debate have a right to express their views, the incident shows that such views remain entrenched and make it challenging to develop practical policies to address the complex situation
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More