Three pro-Gaza protesters have been found guilty of public order offenses following a demonstration outside Sir Keir Starmer’s home.
Leonorah Ward, 21, Zosia Lewis, 23, and Daniel Formentin, 24, were found guilty of offenses under section 42 of the Police and Criminal Justice Act 2001 and of breaching bail at the Court of Westminster Magistrates.
Activists hung a banner outside the Labor leader’s London home reading: “Starmer, stop the killing”, surrounded by red handprints, while rows of children’s shoes were placed in front of the door on April 9.
The trio, who denied the charges, represented the group Youth Demand, which describes itself as a “new youth resistance campaign fighting for an end to the genocide.”
The protesters were sentenced to six weeks in prison suspended for 12 months. They were also banned from entering the London postal district NW5 for any reason.
The trio were also ordered to pay £200 court costs and a victim surcharge of £154 each.
District Judge Michael Snow told protesters their actions were “corrosive to democracy.” He said: “I think this is a case of high culpability, there was clear planning and it is a group action.”
Zosia Lewis, Daniel Formentin and Leonorah Ward pictured outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London
Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria (pictured in Liverpool last year) live in London
Four rows of very small children’s shoes were placed in front of his house, symbolizing the children murdered in Gaza.
He added: “I believe this is a case of major harm because it was directed at the home of Sir Keir Starmer and his family, and caused significant distress to Mrs Starmer.
“We live in fragile times with a number of potential attacks on our democracy; according to media reports, it is difficult to persuade people to come forward to perform their public duty by acting as politicians due to the various comments made about them in the social networks, media and genuine fears they have for their safety and that of their families.
‘When you look at the murder of Conservative MP Sir David Amess and the murder of Jo Cox, one can fully understand why politicians are so afraid of the institution in which they find themselves.
‘Discouraging individuals or people from engaging in politics due to trolling is corrosive to our democracy as a whole.
‘I am obliged to take a tough line on anyone who attacks our democracy by going directly at the address of a politician or senior politician in an attempt to carry out a protest.
‘The sentence I impose is designed not only to deter you but also to deter others.
“Anyone who comes before me for going to a politician’s house and refusing to come out when asked can receive a prison sentence.”
The court was shown footage of the demonstration shared on social media, which included clips of the three defendants speaking, and police footage of protesters being arrested by officers outside the house.
Giving evidence at the trial, Sir Keir’s wife Victoria said she felt “a bit sick” when she met the trio at their home and turned the corner in their car.
Lady Starmer had just returned from a shopping trip with her son when they saw the protesters, the court heard.
She turned the corner before contacting Sir Keir’s office because she “didn’t want to stop and be obvious”, she told the court.
“I felt apprehensive and uncomfortable,” she added.
When Andrew Morris, defending, asked if she knew it was a “peaceful protest”, Lady Starmer said: “It would look like a peaceful protest if it hadn’t been outside my house.”
When Ward’s representative Laura O’Brien told her she didn’t want additional publicity from the rally, she said, “That wasn’t on my mind at all.”
Left to right: Leonorah Ward, aged 21, from Leeds, Daniel Formentin, aged 24, from Leeds and Zosia Lewis, aged 23, from Newcastle upon Tyne, outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court
Leonorah Ward arrives at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, central London, where she, along with Daniel Formentin and Zosia Lewis, were found guilty of offenses under section 42 of the Police and Criminal Justice Act 2001.
Daniel Formentin pictured leaving Westminster Magistrates’ Court in central London
Formentin, representing himself, told the court: “I firmly believe that Keir Starmer does not accurately represent the country.
“There is an overwhelming feeling that the young people of this country want a ceasefire in Palestine.”
Formentin said protesters took “every measure we could to mitigate any threats” and had no plans to confront anyone.
When Mr Hallam told him they would still have been intimidating and threatening, Formentin said: “No.”
Telling them that they never contemplated how someone living in the house could find the protest distressing, he said: “I think it could be seen as distressing.”
Metropolitan Police Sergeant Mark Upsdale also gave evidence at the trial, who arrived at the scene around 2:00 p.m. and gave the arrest warrant.
Asked by prosecutor Jacob Hallam KC if the protesters were making their intentions known to officers, he said: “They said there was a plan, but ‘we’re not prepared to tell you’, or something like that.”
Sgt Upsdale said holding the protest outside someone’s home, rather than the House of Commons or Sir Keir’s offices, was “inappropriate”.
He added: “I didn’t know if they were going to be there for 10 minutes or a day.”
Section 42 powers cover harassing a person in their home if an officer suspects they are causing alarm or distress to the occupant.
Youth Demand describes itself as a “new youth resistance campaign fighting for an end to genocide.”
Children’s shoes have been used in several pro-Palestine demonstrations to represent children murdered in Gaza.
The same group sprayed the Labor Party headquarters with red paint and later claimed that 11 people had been arrested in connection with that incident.