Picture: Twitter
A person has been arrested after a gallows was erected outside the House of Commons.
Tory Michael Fabricant spotted the hangman’s noose in Parliament Square.
Raising a point of order, the Lichfield MP told the Commons:
“Demonstrators have erected a gallows, a gallows to be used against Members of Parliament.
“I’d suggest at the very least, not only is it crass and unthinking, but it must also be a breach of public order.”
And Labour MP Hilary Benn said:
“I saw that set of gallows as I was coming into the House today and I spoke to the police outside the gates, and I said I don’t know who were the protesters.
“I couldn’t see if they’re protesting against capital punishment in other countries.
“But if they have put those gallows there and that noose directed at us, especially in the events of the last week, it is not only crass – crass is a very gentle description of what they’ve done – I think it is scandalous.
“I think it’s not acceptable. Because it is a threat. And we should be able to carry out our job without being threatened by people out in Parliament Square.
“And the police officer to whom I spoke said, ‘we could go over and have a word with them’.”
Deputy Speaker Dame Rosie Winterton later reported:
“I understand the gallows have been taken down and an arrest has been made under the Public Order Act.”