Ed Miliband was confronted by Gaza protesters demanding he recognise the Israeli ‘genocide’ and lift the ban on Palestine Action as he ate dinner in a restaurant.
The Foreign Secretary was accosted in a Pizza Express in Liverpool outside the party conference, which has been marked by pro-Palestinian protests.
Organisers said more than 150 arrests were made yesterday as people held banners saying they supported banned group Palestine Action.
In video posted online by Defend our Juries, two activists approached Mr Miliband last night, telling him: ‘Ed Miliband we would like you to de-proscribe Palestine Action, we would like you to declare a genocide in Gaza.
‘One hundred metres from here there are 200 people being arrested.’
Mr Miliband responded that he would be happy to speak to them, but said they were crashing a ‘constituency dinner’.
The Foreign Secretary was accosted in a Pizza Express in Liverpool outside the party conference, which has been marked by pro-Palestinian protests
Organisers said more than 150 arrests were made yesterday as people held banners saying they supported banned group Palestine Action
However a decision on reversing the proscription of Palestine Action does not sit with the Foreign Secretary, instead sitting with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
In a further irony, Mr Miliband spearheaded Labour’s decision earlier this month to bring in sanctions targeting illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
He is due to address conference this morning and the issue is likely to be on the agenda.
Defend Our Juries, which organised the protest, said on Monday that after 16 hours, more than 150 arrests were made outside the conference.
A spokesman said: ‘Inside the Labour Party Conference today, Ed Miliband will tell campaigners and party members that they were right to build political pressure over Gaza with their protests.
‘The hypocrisy is breathtaking.
‘If he means what he says, why are those taking a principled stand against genocide still being arrested as terrorists?’
The group said one of those arrested yesterday was 94-year-old human rights barrister, Margaret Owen.
