British lawmakers fear for their lives amid pro-Palestinian threats

The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Interior has announced funding worth 31 million British pounds, to protect “democratic processes from disruption,” as lawmakers report frightening verbal abuse, including accusations like “genocide enabler” and having “blood on your hands.”

The announcement comes as Britain's Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, warns national police chiefs about “mob rule” taking over the country. Since Oct. 7, London and other cities across the UK have seen mass pro-Palestinian demonstrations – even before Israel's ground operations in Gaza began – and with many arrests of people supporting terrorism.

Chaos ensued in the UK Parliament last week when the Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle broke with historic conventions, citing his concern for the security of parliament members.

Against the backdrop of the South African 'genocide' case against Israel at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, and with a Muslim married to a Palestinian at the helm, the Scottish National Party (SNP) arranged an entire full-day debate on Israel’s actions in Gaza.

The left-wing Guardian newspaper reported that Labour Party leader, Sir Keir Starmer, spoke to Sir Lindsay prior to the debate, and asked him to break with precedent and call for the Opposition Party (Labour) amendment.

The Labour Party traditionally takes a large percentage of the UK Muslim vote, and many protesters and activists are livid with their natural political ally for not calling for a ceasefire in the early weeks of the Oct. 7 war. 

Since the SNP brought a similar motion, which was then an amendment to the King’s speech, in November, Sir Keir has faced a growing rebellion in this election year. To complicate matters further, the renowned antisemite and Islamist militant supporter, George Galloway, was just re-elected as an MP, after Labour withdrew their candidate for suggesting Israel allowed the Oct. 7 invasion and massacres by Hamas. The Board of Deputies of British Jews termed the win as a “dark day” for the UK’s Jewish community.

The wife of one British Jew, former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, was sacked in November for writing bluntly to a newspaper about the dangers of the recent pro-Palestinian rallies and her professional estimation of the bias at work within the operations of London’s Metropolitan Police.

In her non-governmental position, though still an MP, Braverman is now free to speak out even further. On Feb. 22, after the incredible scenes in the Parliament, she published a blistering column in The Daily Telegraph, entitled ‘Islamists are bullying Britain into submission.’

After mentioning the Islamist hijacking of the Rochdale by-election, and the win of Galloway, she continued: 

“And then they came for Parliament. On a day when Keir Starmer should have shown strength of character, he bowed to the mob, abused his position, and undermined the integrity of Parliament. Conventions cast aside, the Speaker’s legitimacy destroyed, and democracy denied. Trust was shattered by Starmer’s grubby backroom deal. The mask has slipped: in hock to the Islamists, he is responsible for one of the most shameful days of our democracy. By effectively taking the Speaker hostage, he brought Parliament into disrepute. This is the behaviour of tyrants…

“The truth is that the Islamists, the extremists and the anti-Semites are in charge now. They have bullied the Labour Party, they have bullied our institutions, and now they have bullied our country into submission.”

Braverman also joined a pro-Israel rally in London on Jan. 14, as Israel and the world marked 100 days since the shocking Oct. 7 massacres and the abduction of some 250 captives by Hamas terrorists and their allies.

In December, Mike Freer, a Conservative MP representing the Finchley and Golders Green constituency in North London - an area with a significant Jewish population - resigned following a suspected arson attack on his office. Freer, a vocal defender of Israel, cited the attack as a key reason for his departure.

Freer, who is a former British justice minister and respected parliamentarian, told the BBC’s Today program he had narrowly missed an encounter with Ali Harbi Ali, a month before he murdered another esteemed Conservative MP and Israel supporter, Sir David Amess. 

Since Sir David’s death in October 2021, MPs have tried to reinforce their local offices and procedures but the situation has escalated significantly. 

Over ten MPs have now spoken with Reuters, on condition of anonymity, reporting threatening verbal and written abuse. One said he now makes sure he sits near the door on public transport, and limits meetings with the public. In addition, at least one MP cited security as a factor in choosing not to run for re-election.