Far-right protesters heckle Jewish speaker at March for Change rally

Flora Hutchings from Best for Britain was heckled by far-right counter-protesters as she spoke of her Jewish ancestry at a pro-European rally. Picture: Best for Britain - Credit: Archant

A crowd of far-right protesters loudly booed a young Jewish speaker as she lambasted Oswald Mosley and Enoch Powell in a pro-EU speech at the weekend.

A groups calling themselves the “Democratic Football Lads’ Alliance” chanted and heckled over a speech at the March for Change rally given by pro-Remain activist Flora Hutchings.

Boos and jeers from pro-Brexit counter-protesters began as she started talking and continued as she described how her Jewish family had settled in the East End of London.

Hutchings, who is head of external affairs for pro-EU group Best for Britain, reminded the crowd that the UK had been seen as a country of tolerance when her Jewish ancestors arrived.

But chants of “we love you Boris” threatened to drown her out.

As she went on to criticise Oswald Mosley and Enoch Powell, the boos towards her got even louder.

Despite police efforts to keep the protests apart, the rally in Parliament Square had been infiltrated by the Brexiteers who escaped a cordon keeping them on Whitehall, according to an eyewitness.

The DFLA is an offshoot of the Football Lads’ Alliance (FLA), which was founded as an “anti-extremist” movement but has increasingly been associated with far-right causes.

As officers attempted to police the DFLA protesters on Saturday, a beer can was also thrown towards the March for Change protesters.

The Independent has reported that Anna Soubry pulled out of the rally on police advice, saying she was “frightened” to speak.