Tory MP rages at police as woman, 72, bundled into van at anti-lockdown protest

  • london
  • November 25, 2020
  • Comments Off on Tory MP rages at police as woman, 72, bundled into van at anti-lockdown protest
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An incensed Tory MP was filmed ranting at police after witnessing them bundling an elderly woman into a van for protesting outside Parliament.

The former chair of the 1922 Committee, Sir Charles Walker, told the officers their actions were ‘an outrage’ as he walked towards Portcullis House in London yesterday afternoon.

It is believed the 72-year-old woman was participating either in an anti-lockdown protest or an anti-vaccine demonstration.

Raising the incident as a point of order, Sir Charles told the Commons: ‘I have just witnessed an elderly lady peacefully protesting with a handful of other people be arrested and carried spread-eagle to a police van just outside the precinct of the House of Commons.

‘This is a disgrace. This is un-British. It is unconstitutional and this Government, our Prime Minister needs to end these injustices now.

‘Madam Deputy Speaker, will you bring the Prime Minister and/or the Home Secretary here today to sort this out?

‘She was an old lady robbed of her dignity for having the courage to protest about having her fundamental rights and those of my constituents and others removed.’

Deputy Commons speaker Dame Rosie Winterton responded: ‘I thank the honourable gentleman for his point of order. I can see that this is obviously an extremely distressing situation.

‘I shall of course ensure that the Speaker [Sir Lindsay Hoyle] is aware of the honourable gentleman’s comments.

‘But I also know that we have ministers here who I’m sure will ensure that his comments are fed back and his very strong views on the incident that happened.’

Witness to the incident, Tom Ridgway, said: ‘I saw an elderly woman, apparently an anti-lockdown protester, being bundled into the back of a police van at 2pm outside the entrance to Parliament.

‘I only saw one other protester who was shouting, it didn’t seem to be an organised protest.’

As Sir Charles walked across he was filmed telling the officers: ‘You must have mothers? What an outrage! What a disgrace! This is an absolute disgrace.’

The Conservative has been a heavy critic of Boris Johnson’s coronavirus policy, and voted against the most recent national lockdown. 

Sir Charles, MP for Broxbourne in Hertfordshire, described the legislation as a ‘drift further into an authoritarian, coercive state’.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: ‘At 1pm on Tuesday, November 24, Police were on scene at a protest in Buckingham Gate, SW1.

‘A group had come together to protest. Police engaged with those present and explained the current restrictions around gatherings of more than two people.

‘Two women refused to engage and were subsequently arrested for breaching the coronavirus restrictions.

‘A short while later part of the group had re-gathered outside the Palace of Westminster.

‘A third woman refused to comply, was arrested for breaching the coronavirus restrictions and then became uncooperative with officers.

‘She was taken by police transport to custody.’

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