Police and protesters clash after the Labour leader is heckled by demonstrators at Westminster.
Image source, PA Media
Two people have been arrested after clashes between protesters and police protecting Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
Sir Keir was taken away by car near Parliament shortly after 17:00 GMT on Monday, having been surrounded by a group of demonstrators.
A man and a woman were arrested after a traffic cone was thrown at officers, the Metropolitan Police said.
Several politicians have raised concerns over safety.
‘Ridiculous slur’
Videos have emerged on social media of Sir Keir being escorted into the police car.
Protesters can be heard repeatedly shouting “traitor”, while criticising the Labour leader for backing Covid vaccinations and not “opposing the government”.
One person shouted: “Do you enjoy working for the new world order?”
On one of the videos, someone can be heard shouting: “Jimmy Savile.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been heavily criticised for making a false claim that Sir Keir failed to prosecute serial sex offender Savile when he was director of public prosecutions.
The Labour leader has previously described the comment “a ridiculous slur, peddled by right-wing trolls”.
After the incident at Westminster, Labour London Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted: “This is what happens when fake news is amplified and given credibility by people who should know better.”
And Conservative MP Julian Smith tweeted: “What happened to Keir Starmer tonight outside Parliament is appalling. It is really important for our democracy & for his security that the false Savile slurs made against him are withdrawn in full.”
The incident happened as Sir Keir walked from the Ministry of Defence along the Victoria Embankment towards Portcullis House, part of the Palace of Westminster, with shadow foreign secretary David Lammy.
The Met issued a statement saying: “Shortly after 5.10pm on Monday, 7 February, a man who had been surrounded by a group of protesters near to New Scotland Yard, was taken away from the scene by a police car.
“A man and a woman were arrested at the scene for assault of an emergency worker after a traffic cone was thrown at a police officer. They have been taken into custody.”