Failure of the Met Police has now led to guerrilla war tactics by protesters

The abject failure of the Metropolitan police when dealing with pro-Palestinian marches in London has now led to a new “guerrilla” type hit and run type of protest.

These protests are clearly being organised and managed by someone and there must also be funding in play.

The Met refusals to act in any meaningful way over desecrations of monuments, works of art and buildings by Just Stop Oil fanatics, offering them counselling and cups of tea when blocking roads across the Capital would have of course emboldened any chancers seeking to make a point and cause maximum trouble.

The BLM protests and marches were also treated with the same kid gloves approach which led to a very large number of criminal offences being disregarded.

The Met would argue that their stand back and catch them later ethos is working, yes we have seen several Just Stop Oil criminals being sent down and that is a good thing, criminal damage and blocking the road cannot in any civilised society be allowed to go on with no consequences.

What the Met have failed to understand is that the optics are just not good. 

The media coverage together with private members of the public setting themselves up as `journalists` record everything and there is now an awful lot of evidence being promulgated through a plethora of media outlets which tell a very poor story when it comes to policing these events.

We have now seen several instances of pro-Palestine protesters choosing to ignore the centre of the city but attacking railway stations and shopping centres. Protesters in the Bullring Birmingham called for the city to be shut down. We also saw replica demonstrations in railway stations in London and Preston.

A much more disturbing turn of events saw children taken out of schools to march and claim freedom for Palestine with teachers in support. This opens a whole new can of worms with regards to safeguarding and appropriate behaviour regarding politics and children of a school age.

The policing of all these events must be costing literally millions in overtime, officers injured, damage and disruption. Not to mention eventual court time and the legal process.

The new Commissioner of Police it would seem has not been called to question, certainly not by the new Home Secretary. 

It is just not good enough, is it, to allow large numbers of people to do as they please with an ineffective police force choosing to stand idly by and observing proceedings?

The clear message has been one of capitulation and carry on as you were, fill your boots, we will get you later. 

This message will have a very seriously detrimental effect on the peace of this nation in the future and is already coming home to roost.

Stephen Place is Law and Order spokesman for the centrist Alliance for Democracy and Freedom. He began his police career in September 1978 and retired in August 1999.