Pro-Palestine protestors interrupt David Lammy’s Fabian Society speech
Pro-Palestine protesters repeatedly interrupted a speech by Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Saturday.
As the Labour MP for Tottenham spoke at the Fabian Society conference in London today, activists bearing Palestinian flags shouted: âWhen will you condemn the genocide? How many more children need to die?â
A man in the audience also got up out of his seat and shouted âcall yourself a socialist?â and âI come from Tottenham and David Lammy does not speak for meâ.
Amid repeated heckling, the frontbencher told the audience in Londonâs Guildhall: âWe all want to see a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza.
âI want change through power, not through protest.â
Security escorted all of the protesters out of the Guildhall building, before Mr Lammy, who left the the stage after being interrupted, was able to continue his speech.
After Mr Lammy returned he told the audience while laughing: âI was born in Tottenham, donât worry⌠we all want to see a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza.â
The Free Palestine Coalition (FPC), which supports Palestine, claimed responsibility for the disruption, saying its activists infiltrated the conference to âcall out the Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammyâs position on Gazaâ.
âAs a former lawyer, Lammy should know better than to falsely claim that an occupying power has the right to âdefend itselfâ against a territory it occupies.
âIt is difficult to see how Lammy is upholding any commitment to human rights or international law as we enter into the 106th day of Israelâs unrelenting assault on Gaza,â they said in a statement.
The FPC have previously organised protests in central London which call for a ceasefire in Gaza, including a sit-down rally in the capitalâs busy Oxford Street shopping district in November last year.
In his speech, which outlined the partyâs foreign policy if it wins the next general election, Mr Lammy claimed voters have a choice that will âdetermine the spirit of Britainâ in the face of âa new world disorderâ.
He said: âWill we be led by a Conservative government which betrays our children on net zero to wage culture wars at home, or a Labour government which unites around the country, creating green jobs and protecting the planet?
âA Conservative government which treats our European neighbours as opponents, or a Labour government which recognises, with war on our continent, they are our closest friends and allies?
âA Conservative government threatening to break international law, to deport refugees to Rwanda, or a Labour government, which knows international law and human rights are fundamental to the British way of life?â
He also claimed the Tories are âintent on stirring divisionâ and insisted Labour will ârepair Britainâs alliancesâ.
Before delivering his speech, Mr Lammy said he backs US calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state when the war in the Middle East ends, and branded Israeli prime ministerâs Benjamin Netanyahuâs opposition to the plans âunacceptableâ.
He told BBC Radio 4âs Today programme Mr Netanyahuâs position would mean âoccupation and siege continuesâ in Gaza.
He said: âWe are committed to the recognition of a Palestinian state.
âWe want to work with international partners to achieve that. And there are a number of countries in the developed world saying that they believe the time has come as well, but obviously youâre doing that in conjunction with that two-state solution that is required.
âAnd this is a critical moment that comes out of this crisis. And weâve got to seize that opportunity.â
Additional reporting by Press Association.
