Pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside against a primary school, forcing it to shut early before the Christmas holidays.
On Thursday, footage emerged of people protesting outside Barclay Primary School in east London. The school, for kids aged from four to 11, is one the largest in the country, with 1,325 pupils.
‘Apolitical’
According to Muslim news site 5 Pillars, the crowd protested because the school didn’t allow students to bring in Palestinian protest materials, claiming “Islamophobia.”In the footage, one parent, who said he came from Palestine, said that events started on Nov. 17 at the time of Children in Need, when their child wore a “bow tie” in Palestinian colours, and later on a Palestinian flag on his sleeve to show “empathy” for family members killed in the conflict in Gaza.
The parent said that he was told that the school was “apolitical” and they had breached school policy.
There were also allegations that some parents were threatened with referrals to the anti-terrorist Prevent programme.
The school has denied the allegations saying “are false and that no evidence to support any allegations of bullying or misconduct has been found through either an external or internal investigation.”
On Thursday, The Lion Academy Trust released a statement on its site.
“It is very unfortunate and distressing that this misinformation is being used to target a primary school,” a trust spokesman said.
“In the light of escalating threats against staff and the school, based on malicious fabrications being broadcast by various media outlets, the Lion Academy Trust will be closing the school from Dec. 20, 2023 to all parents and pupils for the Christmas break,” he said.
“This decision has been made after careful reflection and because we need the school to be a safe place for the children and staff,” he added.
On the Prevent accusations, the school said a letter was “deliberately taken out of context” was “specific to alleged misconduct by the parties to whom it was sent.”
‘From the River to the Sea’
Footage shows dozens of demonstrators gathered outside the school gates carrying signs with “From the river to the sea.”A man is also seen wearing a Palestinian flag as a cape and a Batman mask that completely hides his face, with a megaphone, urging the crowd to chant, “Education is a human right, education is under attack, what we do is stand up and fight back.”
Footage also shows Palestinian flags were also attached to lampposts along the road at night.
A Met spokesman told The Epoch Times by email that they informed of the protest at the school and that the road was closed from 8:30 a.m. to 10:20 a.m.
“There were no arrests or incidents of note. The protest was peacefully concluded,” he said.
In October, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan wrote to schools to provide advice on how to discuss the Israel-Hamas conflict in the classroom.
The advice says that schools should ensure “that political expression by pupils is done sensitively, avoiding disruption and feelings of intimidation or targeting for other pupils and staff.”
A Department for Education spokesperson told The Epoch Times by email: “Intimidation of teachers and staff is unacceptable, and we are working with Barclay Primary School to support them. During periods of heightened community tensions, we support schools to take steps to ensure they remain calm and supportive learning environments, where all pupils feel safe.”
The Epoch Times contacted 5Pillars for comment.
