UK opposition leader mobbed outside parliament by anti-lockdown protesters

Police step in to shield Keir Starmer, PM Johnson calls the assault absolutely disgraceful

By AFP

Published: Tue 8 Feb 2022, 12:19 AM

Anti-lockdown protesters mobbed British opposition leader Keir Starmer on Monday as he left the Houses of Parliament in London, with many shouting “traitor”, prompting police to step in to shield him.

A video posted online showed the Labour leader being jostled, before police intervened and escorted him to a car.

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One protestor could be heard asking why he was “protecting paedophiles” during his previous role as the country’s top prosecutor.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been under fire over the last week after accusing Starmer of not taking action against notorious celebrity paedophile Jimmy Savile when he was head of the Crown Prosecution Service, despite not being personally in charge of the case.

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Tory MP Julian Smith called on his party leader to retract the comment, tweeting: “What happened to Keir Starmer outside parliament is appalling.

“It is important for our democracy and his security that the false Savile slurs against him are withdrawn in full,” he added.

Johnson later tweeted that “the behaviour directed at the Leader of the Opposition tonight is absolutely disgraceful.

“All forms of harassment of our elected representatives are completely unacceptable. I thank the police for responding swiftly.”

Other protesters involved could be heard shouting “why aren’t you opposing?”, “traitor”, “what about the working class?” and “why did you go after Julian Assange, why did you go after journalists?”, another reference to his role as prosecutor.

A Metropolitan Police statement said: “Shortly after 5.10pm on Monday, February 7, a man who had been surrounded by a group of protesters near to New Scotland Yard, was taken away from the scene by a police car.”

Some of the protesters held signs opposing mandatory vaccination and lockdown measures.

A man and a woman were arrested at the scene for assault of an emergency worker after a traffic cone was thrown at a police officer, said police.