Thirsk groups urge respect for peaceful protest after abuse at vigil

The sentiment was agreed at a meeting in Thirsk called after abuse was shouted at protesters taking part in a silent vigil.

North Yorkshire Justice for Palestinians has been holding a weekly vigil in the town’s marketplace, as well as in Ripon, Northallerton and Knaresborough town centres, in protest at the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

The group said there had been a number of incidents of people being abused by passers-by.

Representatives of several local groups met at the Friends’ Meeting House in Thirsk last week to discuss the problem.

Those present included members of Reform and the Labour Party, as well as representatives of St Mary’s Church, North Yorkshire Justice for Palestinians and the Quakers.

The meeting was chaired by Geof Sewell, from Thirsk Quakers.

Andy Croft, from North Yorkshire Justice for Palestinians, said there were different explanations for the decline in the standards of public behaviour in the UK.

But he said the meeting agreed unanimously to call on everyone in Thirsk to respect the right to peaceful protest in future and to keep public spaces friendly and safe for everyone.

He added: “This is not about the rights and wrongs of what is happening in Gaza, but about trying to restore levels of public civility and decency.”

Reverend Mary Rolls, from St Mary’s Church, said: “The meeting was a really helpful and gracious space with different perspectives brought, but with a clear common concern about being able to express difference with tolerance and kindness.”

Mark Robinson, chair of the Thirsk branch of Reform, attended the meeting with a colleague.

He said: “I think that there was consensus on the underlying causes of the intolerance that our society suffers from, there was also general agreement on how to fix this.

“This could be an example to us all that if you look for agreement rather than disagreement, we all have much common ground.”