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| MP Mark Field accused of assaulting Greenpeace activist | MP Mark Field accused of assaulting Greenpeace activist |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Greenpeace has accused Foreign Office minister Mark Field of assault, after he pushed a female activist out of a black-tie City event. | Greenpeace has accused Foreign Office minister Mark Field of assault, after he pushed a female activist out of a black-tie City event. |
| Mr Field claimed he reacted "instinctively" and has referred himself to the Cabinet Office for an investigation. | Mr Field claimed he reacted "instinctively" and has referred himself to the Cabinet Office for an investigation. |
| He also apologised to the woman for "grabbing her" - but said he was worried she may have been armed. | He also apologised to the woman for "grabbing her" - but said he was worried she may have been armed. |
| The Tory MP has been widely criticised, but some people defended his actions. | The Tory MP has been widely criticised, but some people defended his actions. |
| Thursday night's incident - which was filmed by TV news cameras - happened after climate change protesters disrupted the beginning of Chancellor Philip Hammond's annual Mansion House speech to the City about the state of the UK economy. | |
| Dozens of activists - dressed in suits, red dresses and sashes - "gatecrashed" the dinner, according to Greenpeace, and refused to leave. | Dozens of activists - dressed in suits, red dresses and sashes - "gatecrashed" the dinner, according to Greenpeace, and refused to leave. |
| Video footage shows Mr Field getting out of his seat and stopping one female protester by pushing her against a column and then marching her out of the room. | Video footage shows Mr Field getting out of his seat and stopping one female protester by pushing her against a column and then marching her out of the room. |
| City of London Police said: "We have had a number of third-party reports of a possible assault. These are being looked into." | City of London Police said: "We have had a number of third-party reports of a possible assault. These are being looked into." |
| Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis told ITV's Good Morning Britain that the party would investigate the "full details of what happened". | |
| 'Shameful' | 'Shameful' |
| Greenpeace climate campaigner Areeba Hamid told the BBC the activist was "in shock" last night, but was recovering and had been reassured by the "outpouring of support" online. | Greenpeace climate campaigner Areeba Hamid told the BBC the activist was "in shock" last night, but was recovering and had been reassured by the "outpouring of support" online. |
| "I think Mark Field should have a long hard stare at himself and think whether that behaviour is in keeping with someone in public office," she said. | "I think Mark Field should have a long hard stare at himself and think whether that behaviour is in keeping with someone in public office," she said. |
| "We went into that event announcing who we were very clearly, we were there to make a very important point - that we are in a climate emergency - to a roomful of people who are actually capable of making some very profound decisions." | "We went into that event announcing who we were very clearly, we were there to make a very important point - that we are in a climate emergency - to a roomful of people who are actually capable of making some very profound decisions." |
| She said the activist is trained and experienced in non-violent direct action. Greenpeace activists were prepared to face legal consequences for their actions, Ms Hamid said, but "what they have not signed up for is physical assault". | |
| It was "quite ludicrous" to suggest that the protester might have been armed, Ms Hamid added. | It was "quite ludicrous" to suggest that the protester might have been armed, Ms Hamid added. |
| Labour's shadow women and equalities minister Dawn Butler was among those who criticised Mr Field, tweeting: "This is horrific... He must immediately be suspended or sacked." | |
| Fellow Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi added: "No one who reacts like this to a peaceful protest should be sitting in our Parliament." | Fellow Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi added: "No one who reacts like this to a peaceful protest should be sitting in our Parliament." |
| And Jess Phillips MP tweeted: "Every MP has to deal with protest and conflict, it is done with words. To watch this is so so awful." | And Jess Phillips MP tweeted: "Every MP has to deal with protest and conflict, it is done with words. To watch this is so so awful." |
| Meanwhile Liberal Democrat MP Chuka Umunna described Mr Field's actions as "totally unacceptable" while former Tory MP Sarah Wollaston said it was "absolutely shameful, a male MP marching a woman out of a room by her neck". | Meanwhile Liberal Democrat MP Chuka Umunna described Mr Field's actions as "totally unacceptable" while former Tory MP Sarah Wollaston said it was "absolutely shameful, a male MP marching a woman out of a room by her neck". |
| But one of Mr Field's Conservative colleagues, Sir Peter Bottomley MP, said he had done nothing wrong. | But one of Mr Field's Conservative colleagues, Sir Peter Bottomley MP, said he had done nothing wrong. |
| "I think Mark Field did the right thing. He prevented the woman going further, he reversed her direction and she went out pretty willingly," he told the BBC. | "I think Mark Field did the right thing. He prevented the woman going further, he reversed her direction and she went out pretty willingly," he told the BBC. |
| "He intervened - I congratulate him for that, I would have done the same. Although she may have been harmless, others won't be." | "He intervened - I congratulate him for that, I would have done the same. Although she may have been harmless, others won't be." |
| Sir Peter said that attacks on MPs and their staff meant that such protests could not be ignored. "Not intervening often has a cost, and if this becomes a fashion, there will be casualties," he said. | Sir Peter said that attacks on MPs and their staff meant that such protests could not be ignored. "Not intervening often has a cost, and if this becomes a fashion, there will be casualties," he said. |
| 'Guests felt threatened' | 'Guests felt threatened' |
| In a statement given to ITV News, Mr Field - who is the Foreign Office minister for Asia and the Pacific - said: "In the confusion many guests understandably felt threatened and when one protester rushed past me towards the top table I instinctively reacted. | In a statement given to ITV News, Mr Field - who is the Foreign Office minister for Asia and the Pacific - said: "In the confusion many guests understandably felt threatened and when one protester rushed past me towards the top table I instinctively reacted. |
| "There was no security present and I was for a split-second genuinely worried she might have been armed. | "There was no security present and I was for a split-second genuinely worried she might have been armed. |
| "As a result I grasped the intruder firmly in order to remove her from the room as swiftly as possible. | "As a result I grasped the intruder firmly in order to remove her from the room as swiftly as possible. |
| "I deeply regret this episode and unreservedly apologise to the lady concerned for grabbing her but in the current climate I felt the need to act decisively to close down the threat to the safety of those present." | "I deeply regret this episode and unreservedly apologise to the lady concerned for grabbing her but in the current climate I felt the need to act decisively to close down the threat to the safety of those present." |
| He added he would refer himself to the Cabinet Office and pledged to fully co-operate with its investigation into whether he had broken the ministerial code. | |
| Watching the clip for the first time on BBC Newsnight, former Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt said: "I've no appreciation of the context of anything like that. Mark will answer for himself. But it looks to be a very difficult situation for everyone concerned." | Watching the clip for the first time on BBC Newsnight, former Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt said: "I've no appreciation of the context of anything like that. Mark will answer for himself. But it looks to be a very difficult situation for everyone concerned." |
| Meanwhile, Conservative MP George Freeman tweeted: "This looks appallingly rough handling of a woman climate protester in a dress. | Meanwhile, Conservative MP George Freeman tweeted: "This looks appallingly rough handling of a woman climate protester in a dress. |
| "But before everyone rushes to instant armchair judgement can I suggest that all of us who weren't there and don't know what was said or done just wait a few hours to hear what those who *were* there say." | "But before everyone rushes to instant armchair judgement can I suggest that all of us who weren't there and don't know what was said or done just wait a few hours to hear what those who *were* there say." |
| Tory MP Vicky Ford defended Mr Field's actions, saying the protester was "rushing" towards the governor of the Bank of England. "If she'd been carrying a weapon we'd all be hailing him a hero," she said. | |
| The protesters were removed from the event after several minutes and Mr Hammond was able to continue soon afterwards. | The protesters were removed from the event after several minutes and Mr Hammond was able to continue soon afterwards. |
| City of London Police said they received a call from security at Mansion House just after 21:00 BST. | City of London Police said they received a call from security at Mansion House just after 21:00 BST. |
| "Officers arrived to help with their ejection. Once in the presence of the police, the protesters were co-operative and left the premises. No arrests were made." | "Officers arrived to help with their ejection. Once in the presence of the police, the protesters were co-operative and left the premises. No arrests were made." |
| Resuming his speech, Mr Hammond told the guests: "The irony is that this is government that has just led the world by committing to a zero carbon economy by 2050." | Resuming his speech, Mr Hammond told the guests: "The irony is that this is government that has just led the world by committing to a zero carbon economy by 2050." |