'Greenpeace Protester Should Not Have "Invaded" Black Tie Dinner'

22 June 2019, 07:48

The Greenpeace protester who was physically removed from an event by Tory MP Mark Field should not have "invaded" the room, a columnist tells LBC.

The Conservative MP was suspended as a Minister whilst investigations take place into the incident at Mansion House, in which he physically removed a protester from a speech given by Chancellor Philip Hammond.

Mr Field referred himself to the Cabinet Office after footage emerged of him pushing a female protester against a pillar before grabbing her neck and pushing her out of the room.

But New York Observer columnist Andre Walker told Andrew Castle that the suggestion the protester was exercising free speech is "plainly ridiculous".

"The protesters wanted to prevent the chancellor of the exchequer from speaking, it is not a free speech issue she was attempting to prevent free speech," he said.

"Equally the reason she was thrown out of the event was because she invaded the event.

"If you don't want mark field to drag you out of an event, do not illicitly turn up to it."

Mr Walker added the protester should have "stood on the street" and protested outside the venue to avoid being removed in the way she was.

"You are perfectly entitled to make your point if you want to, but these are people trying to prevent the chancellor making his point, trying to ruin an important event," he said.

"If you do not want Mark Field to drag you out of an event, do not run at the Chancellor, they could have stood on the street and protested, they chose not to do that."

Watch above.