Blogger’s Note: The BBC and Sky News both colluded with the (unelected) British Establishment and Israel (which interfered in the internal functioning of the UK political system) to keep Corbyn out of political power because he wanted to a) recognise Palestine and b) return the NHS to the principle of “care” over “cost” (restoring the “Socialist” principle behind it – that Thatcher took away). Although Corbyn is a Trotskyite who has made numerous (false) anti-China statements – for many leftists, the restoration of the NHS was good enough to support Corbyn. The right-wing Labour Government today has not (and will not) reverse one single Tory cut or policy! Starmer’s idea for saving a collapsing (privatising) NHS – is more privatisation! The damage done by US and EU-demanded cuts to the Socialist NHS – is more cuts! What we are seeing below – is the consequence of a dictate issued by 10 Downing Street! The right-wing of the Labour Party wants to permanently “separate” from its traditional left-wing component (and then reform the left out of existence). The antics of Jeremy Corbyn (who had his fellow Trotskyite – George Galloway – “banned” from an earlier Pro-Palestinian march) is a damaging reminder for Starmer of what the Labour Party used to be! Although I quote the BBC and Sky News below – remember these bourgeois entities revel in the demise of the left and are thoroughly right-wing in nature! ACW (20.1.2025)
Corbyn and McDonnell face police interview after pro-Palestinian rally
19.1.2025 – Amy Walker – BBC News
MPs Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell have agreed to be interviewed under caution by police following a pro-Palestinian rally in central London on Saturday, the BBC understands.
The former Labour leader, 75, and former shadow chancellor, 73, voluntarily attended a police station in the capital as the Metropolitan Police investigates what it says was a coordinated effort by organisers to breach conditions imposed on the event.
The pair were interviewed on Sunday afternoon.
Nine other people have been charged with public order offences following arrests at the protest organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC).
The Met said 24 people had also been bailed and 48 remain in custody.
In a statement, the force said thenine people charged – who include Chris Nineham, a chief steward on the march, and Corbyn’s brother Piers Corbyn -are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in the coming days.
It added that three men, who the force did not name, have agreed to attend voluntarily at a central London police station to be interviewed under criminal caution.
A “75-year-old, 73-year-old and 61-year-old will be interviewed by officers this afternoon”, the Met said.
The protest came as Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire and hostage release deal.
A static rally involving several thousand people took place in Whitehall after police blocked plans to hold a march from Portland Place, near the headquarters of the BBC.
Police said a group of protesters attempted to march from the rally and were stopped a short distance away after breaking through a police line to gather at Trafalgar Square.
In a post on X on Saturday, the Met posted a photo of what it described as a group “that forced its way through the police line” being held at the north-west corner of Trafalgar Square.
In response, Corbyn said in a separate post: “This is not an accurate description of events at all”.
“I was part of a delegation of speakers, who wished to peacefully carry and lay flowers in memory of children in Gaza who had been killed.”
“This was facilitated by the police. We did not force our way through.”
McDonnell echoed Corbyn’s comments in his own post on X, saying: “We did not force our way thru, the police allowed us to go thru & when stopped in Trafalgar Square we laid our flowers down & dispersed.”
Corbyn now sits as the independent MP for Islington North. Hayes and Harlington MP McDonnell currently sits as an independent, after Labour suspended the whip from him for six months in July 2024 for voting against the government over child benefit rules.
Police had imposed a condition on the organisers of the rally under the Public Order Act that prevented them gathering outside the BBC’s Broadcasting House because of its close proximity to a synagogue and a risk there could be “serious disruption” as congregants attended services on the Jewish holy day.
A further condition required the rally to be confined to Whitehall.
The nine people charged with public order offences are:
- Piers Corbyn, 77, of Elephant and Castle, London
- Christopher Nineham, 62, of Bow, London
- Angela Zelter, 73, Knighton, Powys
- Tessa Roe-Stanton, 20, Starr Thomas, 20, and Christian Adair, 23, all of Brockley, London
- Monday Rosenfeld, 21, of Limehouse, London
- Matthew Brennan, 44, of St George, Bristol
- David Ok, 40, of Kilburn, London
An earlier version of this article said 10 people had been charged with public order offences, but the Metropolitan Police later confirmed one individual had been named as having been charged in error.
Jeremy Corbyn interviewed by police after pro-Palestine rally, Sky News understands
The former Labour leader was filmed by Sky News leaving Charing Cross Police Station alongside his former shadow chancellor John McDonnell. The pair declined to comment.
Political reporter @fayebrownSky
Sunday 19 January 2025 18:02, UK
Jeremy Corbyn has agreed to be interviewed under caution by police following a pro-Palestinian rally in central London, Sky News understands.
The former Labour leader, 75, voluntarily attended a police station in the capital this afternoon.
The BBC has reported that John McDonnell, 73, who was the shadow chancellor during Mr Corbyn’s leadership, also agreed to be voluntarily interviewed.
Sky News saw the pair leaving Charing Cross Police station this afternoon. They declined to comment when approached.
Nine other people have been charged with public order offences following arrests at the protest organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) on Saturday.
The Metropolitan Police said they witnessed a “deliberate effort, including by protest organisers” to breach conditions that had been imposed on the event.
This has been denied by the PSC, who have accused the Met of heavy-handed tactics.
The protest came as Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire and hostage release deal following the 15-month-long war in Gaza.
Police said the organisers had agreed the protest would be static, to prevent crowds from forming in the vicinity of a synagogue located a short distance from the BBC’s headquarters near Portland Place.
In a statement on Sunday, the Met said those who have been charged with breaching the conditions, which includes Mr Corbyn’s brother Piers, are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in the coming days.
It added that three men had agreed to attend voluntarily at a Central London Police Station today to be interviewed under caution.
Giving only their ages, the Met said: “The 75-year-old, 73-year-old, and 61-year-old will be interviewed by officers this afternoon”.
Read more from Sky News:
Two teenagers in intensive care after ski lift collapse
New photo of smiling Duchess of Edinburgh shared
The PSC has accused the Met of promoting “a misleading narrative about the events” by “claiming that a peaceful delegation pushed through police lines”.
The group said that after the Met banned their march to the BBC, they made clear they intended to protest against that “anti-democratic” decision if the restrictions were not lifted, by walking “silently and peacefully” towards the broadcaster’s offices.
They claimed that when they reached the police line, they were invited to continue walking towards Trafalgar Square.
Mr Corbyn and Mr McDonnell also disputed the police version of events.
In response to a police social media post claiming protesters “forced their way through” police lines, Mr Corbyn wrote: “This is not an accurate description of events at all.
“I was part of a delegation of speakers, who wished to peacefully carry and lay flowers in memory of children in Gaza who had been killed.”
“This was facilitated by the police. We did not force our way through.”
This was echoed by Mr McDonnell who said: “I spoke at demo and was part of a procession of speakers aiming to go to BBC to lay flowers commemorating the death of Palestinian children.
“We did not force our way through, the police allowed us to go through and when stopped in Trafalgar Square we laid our flowers down and dispersed.”
Mr Corbyn now sits as the independent MP for Islington North after successfully running against his former party at the general election, following his suspension over an antisemitism row.
Mr McDonnell currently sits as an independent, having lost the whip for six months in July last year for voting against the government over the child benefit cap.
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 