For years, Britain has defended freedom of speech. Having been brought up in a country, Iran, where my father was imprisoned for criticising a policy of the government, I have always supported this invaluable principle. However, we have defended it by not allowing a space for the growth or expression of certain fascist ideologies that threaten that very principle. Rightly so. Nazi supporters, for example, have never been allowed to have rallies in London.
When it comes to the Islamic Republic of Iran we seem to be complacent
Yet when it comes to the Islamic Republic of Iran we seem to be complacent. On the streets of London on Wednesday, a group of pro Islamic Republic Iranians chanted ‘Death to America’ and ‘Death to Israel’. They carried a picture of Sayyid Ali Khamenei, a man who ordered the massacre of tens of thousands of Iranians.
This group, albeit small in comparison with the number of protestors who were chanting in support of the fall of the Islamic regime, carried a strong message; a policy to annihilate two countries: Israel and the United States. The Islamic regime has been pursuing this objective for decades. I recall children being forced to chant this slogan at schools in Iran; and today we are hearing it publicly in London. This same policy was why Iran funded Hamas, which carried out the 7 October attack. Iran has also supported many of the attacks against the Jewish and Iranian communities in the UK and beyond. And yet Metropolitan Police officers simply watched on as these people cheered in support of the Islamic regime.
The Met may believe that under the Human Rights Act 1998, they do not have the right to act in a way that interferes with this group’s freedom of expression. If so, they should be invited to read the rest of the act, which clearly sets the boundaries for freedom of expression:
‘The exercise of these freedoms, since it carries with it duties and responsibilities, may be subject to such formalities, conditions, restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society, in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, for the protection of the reputation or rights of others, for preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence, or for maintaining the authority and impartiality of the judiciary.‘
Chanting death to Britain’s allies is a matter of national security. It also endangers the reputation and safety of US and Israeli citizens; yet it was allowed to proceed.
Perhaps the Met did not understand what was being said, as it was in Farsi. This raises a more serious question; what steps and procedures are being used when permissions for these rallies are being granted and how are they being monitored?
The Met has used public money to defend the integrity and security of the Iranian embassy and its staff. Yet it fails to stop acts that threaten the very existence of two nations with close relationships to Britain.
Perhaps the police are wary of yet another court action. In February, the High Court ruled that the Palestine Action ban was unlawful and the government has been forced to appeal against that decision. Whatever the reason for the Met’s failure, groups which threaten Britain’s national security and public policy through their acts and affiliations should be banned.
The Islamic Republic supporters have freely migrated to Britain; some are probably British citizens; they have a network of criminal gangs in the UK and are a national security threat to Britain. The Prime Minister should take responsibility by proscribing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Had the IRGC been proscribed, those carrying Khamenei’s picture through London might not have got away with doing so.
Comments