FOOTAGE has emerged of pro-Palestine protesters confronting a Scottish MP during a Labour Party meeting.
While speaking at an event in Edinburgh on Friday night, shadow secretary of state for Scotland Ian Murray was confronted by multiple protesters who asked him why he had “changed his tune” over a ceasefire in Gaza and condemnation of Israeli forces.
Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) activists from Edinburgh South, as well as Healthcare Workers for Palestine, continued to question Murray’s stance as several Labour members supported the MP.
Later in the video, Murray can be seen telling the protesters to “sit down or leave” and that he would be “happy” to meet with them after the meeting.
🎥 EXCL: Footage has emerged of pro-Palestine protesters confronting Scottish Labour MP Ian Murray during a party meeting
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Multiple protesters asked Murray why he had “changed his tune” over a ceasefire in Gaza and condemnation of Israeli forces pic.twitter.com/FpPMjx4bWk
One activist can be heard asking “Should we trust you with our lives in the NHS?” while another asks Murray about an essay he previously wrote.
They said: “You published an article advocating for a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza and then you also condemned the illegal actions of the Israeli forces. Why are you changing your tune now?
“More than 400 healthcare workers have been killed by the Israeli forces,” the protester added, before being interrupted by a Labour member who said they had come to the event for a Labour Party meeting.
Murray told the protesters: “You can sit down or leave. I’m very happy to meet you afterwards.
“But at this moment in time, you’re spoiling the evening for everyone else.”
He later added: “Look, you’ve made your point and you’ve done so.”
An unnamed SPSC activist spoke to The National after the action and said: "We are appalled by Ian Murray’s and Labour’s stance on Gaza. He’s admitted he knows how awful the situation is there, but can’t bring himself to call for a ceasefire.
"He is supposed to represent his constituents, but is clearly more concerned with towing favour with his boss."
They added: "His job is more valuable to him that standing for the tens of thousands murdered by Israel. We will continue to pressure him wherever we can and drive home the message that Edinburgh South says no ceasefire, no vote."
It is understood the activists left the meeting before the event finished and did not talk to Murray afterwards.
Protesters have held weekly demonstrations outside his constituency office – with some Labour offices in England seeing the same – and the interruption on Friday comes after action in his constituency included posters criticising the Labour Party’s official stance on the ongoing war in Gaza.
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Masquerading as campaign posters for the Labour Party itself, the posters take aim at Murray’s backing of Keir Starmer’s position on Gaza.
Murray recently agreed with the leader and said that a “humanitarian truce” could provide the conditions for the release of hostages.
Neither Murray nor fellow Labour MP Michael Shanks voted to call for a ceasefire in Gaza after the SNP forced a vote on the subject in the House of Commons in November.
Many within the Labour Party have criticised the leader’s stance amid the ongoing bloodshed in Palestine, with more than 27,000 people in Gaza estimated to have been killed in Israeli attacks since October.
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