The force has come under fire in the past year over its policing of pro-Palestine protests, as well as accusations of two-tier policing from the left and the right. Last April, Sir Mark faced calls to resign over video footage of an interaction between a Jewish man and a police officer during a pro-Palestine protest. People taking part in a pro-Palestine march in central London organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and other groups (Ben Bauer/PA)In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, Sir Mark discussed the laws around protest, saying Parliament has “generally taken quite a permissive approach to protest”, before highlighting the different approach in Northern Ireland. He said: “The presumption is that protests will take place, other than in very specific circumstances where the risk of serious violence is beyond what the police can control.”The Sunday Telegraph reported that he went on to suggest that there are “alternative models in operation in other jurisdictions” including within the UK. However, he said the different ways to approach protest laws “are a matter for Parliament to consider, not the police”.

Source: The Herald October 13, 2024 14:21 UTC