Sir Keir Starmer’s wife felt “a bit sick” when she encountered a pro-Palestine demonstration outside their family home, a court has heard.
Victoria Starmer drove away in her car when she realised “people who were not agreeing with my husband” had gathered outside.
Leonorah Ward, 21, of Leeds, Zosia Lewis, 23, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Daniel Formentin, 24, of Leeds, are on trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court over the demonstration, charged with public order offences under Section 42 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 and with breaching court bail.
Activists from the group Youth Demand hung a banner outside the London house that read: “Starmer stop the killing”, surrounded by red hand prints, while rows of children’s shoes were laid in front of the door on April 9, it is alleged.
Giving evidence at the trial in person, Lady Starmer said: “I felt a bit sick, to be perfectly honest.
“I felt apprehensive and uncomfortable.”
Lady Starmer had just returned from a shopping trip with her son when they spotted the protesters, the court heard.
She drove around the corner before contacting Sir Keir’s office because she “didn’t want to stop and be obvious”, she told the court.
Section 42 powers cover the harassment of a person at their home address if an officer suspects it is causing alarm or distress to the occupant.
Youth Demand describes itself as a “new youth resistance campaign fighting for an end to genocide”.
Children’s shoes have been used at a number of pro-Palestine demonstrations to signify the children killed in Gaza.
The same group sprayed Labour HQ with red paint, and later claimed that 11 people had been arrested in relation to that incident.
The three deny the charges, and the trial continues.
