MP Safety in Spotlight After Chaotic Scenes in UK Parliament
• Jo Cox, MP, was murdered in 2016 by a far-right extremist, marking a shocking and tragic moment in British politics where threats to MPs became real.
• By 2018, threats to MPs had become more commonplace and some carried genuine fears for their lives daily.
• Small groups began deliberately provoking MPs in person to capture reactions on video for social media.
• This week’s chaotic scenes in Parliament emerged from the Speaker’s attempt to protect MPs from public anger and danger.
• It is a pivotal moment that could lead to increased police protection for MPs or politicians rethinking their tactics, but the full effects are yet unknown.