Sadiq Khan’s “stay at home” warning to protesters is too little, too late

Sadiq Khan’s U-turn on protesting during the coronavirus crisis has been slammed as “too little, too late” by the Leader of City Hall Tories. The Mayor is now warning protesters to stay at home today despite refusing Susan Hall AM’s initial call for mass demonstrations to be discouraged until coronavirus is beaten.  She has accused Sadiq Khan of inflaming tensions in London by declaring a review of the city’s landmarks which has fuelled counter-protests. Susan Hall AM, Leader of the GLA Conservatives, commented: “Coronavirus remains a real threat and we cannot risk thousands of people cramming together to protest until this cruel virus is beaten. 

“After allowing thousands of protesters to break lockdown already, the Mayor’s intervention really is too little, too late.” “It’s disgraceful that Sadiq Khan has waited so long to finally to tell protesters to stay at home to prevent these demonstrations becoming superspreading events in the capital.  “Instead of reducing tensions in London, the Mayor has failed to protect the city’s monuments from vandalism and has declared a virtue-signalling review of the city’s landmarks.  “Khan’s review is a divisive distraction that will have made the Metropolitan Police’s job even harder at protests today and tomorrow in London. As not only has it encouraged the mob to tear down statues themselves, but it has also fuelled dangerous counter-protests which risk causing more violence and lawlessness on our streets.

“I urge anyone considering attending protests during lockdown to stay at home and find a new legal, safe, and peaceful way to voice your anger.”