Police and security services have been told by Rishi Sunak to prepare for the prospect of a terror attack amid tensions over the Israel-Hamas war.
The Prime Minister chaired an emergency meeting of Cobra on Monday, where ministers, police chiefs and security officials assessed the “accelerated” threat from domestic terrorism and the risk of public disorder.
He has asked police and security agencies to ensure they are taking steps to prepare for public disorder and terrorist attacks by war-gaming scenarios in “table top” exercises. Ministers are concerned rising community tensions could see a single incident spiral into wider violence.
Mr Sunak has also ordered all government departments to review their links to external organisations to ensure no funds are going to any individuals or bodies that have “expressed sympathy” with terrorism.
It follows a 50,000-strong pro-Palestinian protest in the capital at the weekend, where there were calls for an intifada from “London to Gaza”, a display of a blood-soaked effigy of a dead baby and chants of “Khaybar, Khaybar” in reference to a seventh-century mass slaughter of Jews. Five people were charged by the Metropolitan Police with public order offences.
On Monday, Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, who also attended Cobra, branded the pro-Palestine protests of the past three weekends as “hate marches”.
Mrs Braverman said she would not hesitate to change the terror laws “if there’s a need” to combat “utterly odious bad actors” who were exploiting gaps in the legislation to stir anti-Semitism.