The sinister targeting of Tory MP Tobias Ellwood by a pro-Palestinian mob at his family home has been condemned as “chilling”.
The former Middle East minister and his two sons were inside as up to 100 angry protesters accused him of war crimes for backing Israel.
One of the demonstrators who besieged his home in his Bournemouth East constituency for several hours on Monday night was Corrie Drew, who was beaten by him at the 2019 General Election where she stood for Labour.
She held a placard with a doctored photo of Mr Ellwood, bloodied handprints and the slogan: “Tobias Ellwood you can’t hide you’re complicit in genocide.”
Mr Ellwood, 47, was attacked over his support for Israel – at war with Hamas terrorists in Gaza – despite his recent criticism of its PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
Operation Bridger, a security programme to protect MPs, was immediately put in place. Dorset Police said later that officers did not intervene or make arrests.
Alicia Kearns MP, head of the Commons’ Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said: “It is wholly unacceptable for a public servant’s private home to be targeted.
“This has a chilling effect on political discourse, and serves only to push politicians to the point where they question whether it is all worth it, especially for their families. We treasure in our country that our MPs live in our communities with such a close relationship with those we represent.
“This sort of siege tactic, and the divisiveness of discourse around every aspect of politics at the moment, rewards only those who feed on hatred and will have but one result – the driving out of those who refuse to race to the gutter.”
Housing Minister Lee Rowley MP told Sky News: “It’s terrible. Everybody should have the right…to make their views known. Tobias should be able to do that. That kind of bullying, that kind of attempt to intimidate is just unacceptable.
“That is not what the vast majority of the people in this country do. They debate properly, they debate proportionately, they debate reasonably and I think that kind of thing should absolutely stop and we should get back to debating and discussing the key issues.”
Flag-waving members of the Palestine Solidarity Movement used a megaphone to lead chants of “Ceasefire now!” and “Free Palestine!”
Ms Drew, 41, posted online: “Tonight, outside Tobias Ellwood’s house 100 of us gathered for an emergency protest after the Israeli attacks on Rafah [in Gaza].”
Fellow protester Sarah Ward, adopted as the Green Party candidate for Poole last month, defended the protest as “peaceful” and said there had been “no aggression, violence or intimidation from protesters”.
Mr Ellwood said 60 to 80 people gathered at his home for several hours while he and his sons Alexander and Oscar were indoors.
The scenes come two weeks after Tory MP Mike Freer revealed he is to quit over security fears for him and his family. The member for Finchley and Golders Green said his strong support for Israel and his opposition to anti-Semitism had made him a target.
Tory MP Caroline Dinenage said: “This kind of behaviour will inevitably stop prospective MPs stepping forward. Nobody deserves to be threatened, intimidated or harassed in this way.”
Fellow Tory Jonathan Gullis called the protesters’ behaviour “abhorrent”. He said: “Nobody’s family should…be in potential harm’s way simply because one of them is an MP. We have offices, we hold surgeries, we can be contacted by post and email. People who intimidate others in their homes should face the full force of the law.”
Lib Dem MP Helen Morgan said: “It is not acceptable for elected politicians to be targeted at their family home. People’s opinions may differ but these opinions should be expressed civilly and without intimidation.”
Dorset Police said: “Officers attended the scene and liaised with the organisers to ensure people could exercise their right to protest legally and safely without causing significant or ongoing serious public disorder, serious damage or serious disruption. We have a duty to ensure those involved act within the law and ensure the local community can go about their lawful activities. The group left the area by around 8.50pm.”
The Home Office has condemned “the recent targeting of Tobias Ellwood MP’s family home”.
They added: “Security measures for MPs are kept under review and the Parliamentary Security Department, in partnership with the police, continue to work to ensure that appropriate security measures are taken to protect elected representatives”.
Mr Ellwood wrote recently: “Netanyahu’s pledge to gain ‘overall security responsibility’ of the entire Gaza Strip ‘for an indefinite period’ demonstrates how he continues to ignore US President Joe Biden’s warning to not repeat America’s own tactical and strategic errors after 9/11. This isn’t just a reckless use of Israel’s superior military might, it also still offers no clear strategy of what ‘success’ looks like. If Israel is intent on a land invasion to destroy Hamas, then this isn’t the way to do it.”
The Green Party said that it “believes in peaceful protests but does not support actions that run the risk of intimidating individual politicians or their families”.
Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said last year demonstrators who vandalised offices and sent threats to MPs had “crossed the line from protest to intimidation”.
Four Greenpeace activists were arrested last year after scaling Rishi Sunak’s North Yorkshire mansion and draping it in oil-black fabric.
