What would peaceful demonstrators have to fear from a ban on masks to tackle intimidation and violence?
Masked marches are cover for yobs
WHAT would peaceful demonstrators have to fear from a ban on wearing masks?
After all, if you exercise your right to free protest why wouldn’t you be happy to put your face to it?
Imposing rules on what people can and can’t wear is fraught but there have been disgraceful scenes on recent marches.
Too often masked extremists fired up by the Gaza crisis have used demos as an excuse for intimidation, assaults on police and widespread violence.
Pro-Hamas fanatics have regularly brought the hatred and horror of anti-Semitism to the streets of Britain while shielding their faces and throwing flares.
So it is obvious why Number Ten’s protests adviser Lord Walney is recommending that police get powers to ban masks.
The maniacs he targets are not interested in freedom. In fact they pose a grotesque threat to it. The proposal merits careful consideration by PM Rishi Sunak.
There is no doubt any ban would be difficult to enforce by the police — and an army of lawyers and civil liberties activists would line up against it.
But after the appalling clashes between pro-Palestinians and far-right yobs on Armistice Day, the naysayers should ask themselves one question:
Why should anyone have the liberty to mask their face if the sole purpose is to take part in a violent rampage without being identified?
Keir threat Remains
A LABOUR government will be greeted in the EU with a big and audible sigh of relief.
Not our words but those yesterday of the party’s own Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn.
Any voters imagining attempts to frustrate Brexit are in the past should note them carefully.
Despite his wafer-thin assurances, Remainer-in-chief Sir Keir Starmer has always loathed our exit from Brussels.
Brexit would not be safe under a Labour government led by him and we would be drawn back into the EU’s orbit by stealth.
Don’t say you haven’t been warned.
Give hope to Mercy
TIMES are tough and money is tight.
But take the time to read our story about brave little Mercy Cuthbertson.
The family of this battling five-year-old are trying to raise an extra £20,000 to give her a chance of surviving an inoperable brain tumour.
If you can help in any way, please give what you can.