Police could be given new powers to protect war memorials after pro-Palestinian protesters were accused of “desecrating” a monument by climbing on it.
The Metropolitan Police said the behaviour of the protesters in London was “unacceptable” but no laws had been broken.
Protesters climbed on the Royal Artillery Memorial at Hyde Park Corner in London after a demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday night.
Let's see those thugs dishonouring our war dead in handcuffs— Veterans affairs minister Johnny Mercer
Responding to footage of the event online, veterans affairs minister Johnny Mercer, a former artillery officer, said: “I will not stand idly by whilst individuals think this is the correct way to treat these memorials.”
He said police had a “difficult job with mobs and protesters” but “we’ve got to stop thugs clambering over war memorials”.
“The Met has a lot of powers they can use, and should be using, and I’ll work with colleagues to toughen the law,” he said.
“Let’s see those thugs dishonouring our war dead in handcuffs.”
Home Secretary James Cleverly, who was a Territorial Army officer in the Royal Artillery, said he would examine whether the police needed new powers.
“I’m not going to let my personal feelings cloud my judgment on this but it is clearly wrong, and the police have said that they recognise it is deeply disrespectful for people to climb on war memorials,” he told LBC.
On ITV’s Good Morning Britain, he added: “We are looking at what additional powers the police may need.
“These – and the police have said this – are deeply disrespectful actions. The war memorials recognise the sacrifice people have made for our freedom, and abusing, desecrating behaviour like this is deeply, deeply offensive.
“I will look at what further measures need to be taken so the police can take action on this.
“I have no doubt the vast majority of the British population, and indeed, I suspect, the vast majority of people in those marches, would find that behaviour completely unacceptable and they would want us to give the police the power to take action.
“I’ll be looking at that as part of my new job.”
In a statement, the Met said: “There is no law explicitly making it illegal to climb on a memorial so officers cannot automatically arrest, but they can intervene and make it clear the behaviour isn’t acceptable.
“The videos shared online show them doing that.”
Police said the protesters who climbed on the memorial were a breakaway group who had been dispersed at Hyde Park Corner.
“Most people would agree that to climb on or otherwise disrespect a war memorial is unacceptable,” the statement said. “That is why our officers have made every effort to prevent it happening in recent days.
“While officers were on scene quickly, we regret they were not there quickly enough to prevent the protesters accessing the memorial.”
A dispersal order was in place across parts of the City of Westminster from 7.50pm on Wednesday to 2am on Thursday.
Police said one arrest had been made at the protest for possession of an offensive weapon.
