Diane Abbott vowed she is “not going anywhere” after a Tory donor allegedly said she “should be shot”.
The Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP made the remarks outside the Town Hall on Friday evening (March 15).
She attended a ‘Hackney stands with Diane Abbott’ rally, and said that it was “very moving” so many people had turned out.
The protest was organised after it was reported that Conservative party donor Frank Hester had said the MP made him want “to hate all black women” and that she “should be shot”.
Hackney Town Hall, rally in support of Diane Abbott. https://t.co/Wl674lBNDy pic.twitter.com/IOZlElxtfA
— Nadine White. (@Nadine_Writes) March 15, 2024
Speakers at Friday night’s event branded the comments “racist and sexist”, with one adding – “when you mess with Diane Abbott, you mess with us”.
Chants of “we stand with Diane” could also be heard at the event.
We stand with Diane! pic.twitter.com/lqsKZxcuIW
— Helen P George (@HelenPGeorge) March 15, 2024
After the protest, Abbott said that whether any crime had been committed by Hester was a “matter for the legal system and the police”.
Metropolitan Police have said that they are “assessing the matter”, and remain in contact with Abbott.
Mr Hester has admitted making “rude” comments about Abbott, but claimed they had “nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin”.
On Friday, Abbott said: “They keep saying that the Hester guy, he’s apologised, he’s not apologised.
“He’s apologised for being rude, whereas in fact he was racist, and he’s not apologised for that.
“He has apologised for being rude and in fact he was inciting violence. He’s not apologised for that.”
Diane Abbott, "No one from the Conservative party has apologised. Not at all"
— Farrukh (@implausibleblog) March 15, 2024
"They keep saying Frank Hester has apologised. He hasn't apologised. He's apologised for being rude, where in fact he was being racist"
"He apologised for being rude, and in fact he was inciting… pic.twitter.com/jq3lwixcLg
The Hackney MP said that the protest had given her “a lot of strength” after what had been “a very difficult week", vowing that she was “not going anywhere".
Abbott added: “What’s next is I’m going to go home, and I’ll be in Parliament next week. That’s what’s next.”
On Saturday (March 16), further demonstrations were held outside the Home Office, as well as in Glasgow and Cardiff as part of the Stand Up to Racism Campaign.
John McDonnell MP told the crowd in Whitehall that if the Labour party wanted “to be perceived as an anti-racist party”, it should restore to the whip the Abbott.
The party suspended her last year for saying Irish, Jewish and Traveller people do not face racism “all their lives”.
She withdrew her remarks the same day and apologised “for any anguish caused”.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has claimed that Abbott’s suspension was “an entirely different issue” to the latest race row and subject to an independent process that was separate from him.
Some reporting by PA.
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