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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jun/20/greenpeace-activists-target-philip-hammond-speech-in-climate-protest
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| Tory MP Mark Field appears to grab activist during climate protest | Tory MP Mark Field appears to grab activist during climate protest |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The Conservatives have been plunged into controversy after a video appeared to show a minister grab and manhandle a protester who disrupted the chancellor’s Mansion House speech. | The Conservatives have been plunged into controversy after a video appeared to show a minister grab and manhandle a protester who disrupted the chancellor’s Mansion House speech. |
| There were calls for Mark Field to lose his position as a foreign office minister after footage seemed to show him pushing the female Greenpeace activist against a pillar and grabbing her neck. | |
| It came as a separate scandal threatened the party with Antoinette Sandbach saying she was sent messages by an unnamed fellow Conservative MP demanding she leave the party. Senior Tories condemned the messages and pledged to investigate. | |
| The video footage appeared to show an incident that occurred as dozens of Greenpeace activists sought to draw attention to the climate crisis while Philip Hammond prepared to deliver his set-piece address in the City of London. | |
| A group, most dressed all in red and wearing sashes bearing the words “climate emergency”, attempted to read out a message and “drown out” Hammond. | A group, most dressed all in red and wearing sashes bearing the words “climate emergency”, attempted to read out a message and “drown out” Hammond. |
| In a short clip, later posted online by ITV News, Field appeared to grab one of the female activists, shoving her against a pillar and then marching her away while gripping the back of her neck. Greenpeace UK confirmed on Thursday night that it believed the man to be Field, though the organisation has not made a complaint to police. Police said they were called over the protests. A City of London police spokesman said: “Officers arrived to help with their ejection. Once in the presence of the police, the protesters were cooperative and left the premises. No arrests were made.” | |
| Labour MP Dawn Butler said the incident shown in the footage was “horrific” and appeared to be an “assault”. She tweeted: “[Field] must be immediately suspended or sacked.” | |
| “I’m sure I’m not the only one who is wondering why no one intervened. So much violence does not seem justified. An investigation needs to take place as soon as possible.” | |
| This is totally unacceptable. https://t.co/yp9cIfJe25 | |
| The Lib Dem former cabinet minister, Sir Ed Davey, called on Field to resign from the government and for police to investigate. “No ifs, no buts about this. The sight of some penguin suited Tory minister behaving in a violent way towards a female Greenpeace activist absolutely stinks.” | |
| Field’s fellow foreign office minister, Alastair Burt, was shown the clip by the BBC’s Newsnight programme and, afterwards, said: “Mark will answer for himself but it looks to be a very difficult situation for everyone concerned.” | |
| The Tory MP, Sir Peter Bottomley, defended Field, saying the activist “was trying to create a fuss. Most viewers would say it’s good that she didn’t succeed”. | |
| Last month, Field delivered a speech at a Westminster Hall debate in which he decried violence against and intimidation of female activists across the world. | |
| The UK remains committed to helping women all over the world to feel safe and protected in the work they do, so they can speak freely and be part of the change we all want. My remarks at the Westminster Hall Debate on Women Human Rights Defenders. https://t.co/fmQMtXSTgV | |
| Field, the Foreign Office and the Conservative party have been contacted for comment. | |
| According to the video, the rest of the activists were forced out of the room. After they had been removed Hammond claimed it was “ironic” they had chosen to stage the protest shortly after the government had announced its commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Afterwards, Greenpeace UK countered that the Treasury had “tried to water down” the government’s action on climate change. | According to the video, the rest of the activists were forced out of the room. After they had been removed Hammond claimed it was “ironic” they had chosen to stage the protest shortly after the government had announced its commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Afterwards, Greenpeace UK countered that the Treasury had “tried to water down” the government’s action on climate change. |
| Also on Thursday night, Sandbach posted an image on social media of messages she said were from a colleague and suggested that similar abuse had been behind the decisions of three female former Tory MPs to leave the Conservative party. | Also on Thursday night, Sandbach posted an image on social media of messages she said were from a colleague and suggested that similar abuse had been behind the decisions of three female former Tory MPs to leave the Conservative party. |
| “Barely is the ink dry on the results and the dark ops begin,” Sandbach, who supported Rory Stewart in the leadership race, wrote on Twitter. “This from a male conservative MP to me as I sit on the train home.” | “Barely is the ink dry on the results and the dark ops begin,” Sandbach, who supported Rory Stewart in the leadership race, wrote on Twitter. “This from a male conservative MP to me as I sit on the train home.” |
| The messages, which came only hours after Tory MPs voted Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt through to the final round of the party leadership contest, read: “You too are a disgrace. Time you left the party I think.” She tagged it with the words “completewankspangle” and later deleted the tweet. | The messages, which came only hours after Tory MPs voted Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt through to the final round of the party leadership contest, read: “You too are a disgrace. Time you left the party I think.” She tagged it with the words “completewankspangle” and later deleted the tweet. |
| In a supplementary tweet that remained live, the MP for Eddisbury added: “It’s bad enough when you get it from complete strangers. Is it any wonder three female MPs left.” | In a supplementary tweet that remained live, the MP for Eddisbury added: “It’s bad enough when you get it from complete strangers. Is it any wonder three female MPs left.” |
| Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary and Tory leadership hopeful, denounced the messages, and added: “We have to come together as a party.” Julian Smith, the government chief whip, promised to investigate and offered to meet Sandbach on Monday. | Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary and Tory leadership hopeful, denounced the messages, and added: “We have to come together as a party.” Julian Smith, the government chief whip, promised to investigate and offered to meet Sandbach on Monday. |
| Smith said the messages were “totally unacceptable”, and thanked Sandbach for supporting the government in parliamentary votes on Theresa May’s Brexit withdrawal agreement. Sandbach told the Guardian on Thursday night that she and the party were dealing with the incident internally. | Smith said the messages were “totally unacceptable”, and thanked Sandbach for supporting the government in parliamentary votes on Theresa May’s Brexit withdrawal agreement. Sandbach told the Guardian on Thursday night that she and the party were dealing with the incident internally. |
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