London Green councillors encourage people 'inspired by the protests in France' to join demonstration

London Green councillors have encouraged Britons "inspired by the protests in France" to join a demonstration in the capital.

France has been swept by violent unrest, with around 2,400 rioters arrested and hundreds more injured.

Scenes of a historic city hall enveloped in flame, shattered bus stops, and devastated vehicles have stoked fears that similar unrest could hit the UK.

And on Sunday, the Hackney Greens shared an image urging those "inspired" by French chaos to join a march against austerity held the day before the Budget.

Florence Schechter, the cabinet member for finance, resident services and digital, promoted the "March against Austerity", to be held in central London, on her social media.

She urged her followers to attend, writing: "Inspired by the protests in France? We have our own protest in the UK the day before the autumn Budget is announced to tell our government what we think about austerity."

The Hackney Greens then shared the post.

Political opponents slammed the decision to promote the march as "careless" and "irresponsible", according to The Times.

Ms Schechter, who founded the world's first Vagina Museum before her political career, defended the post.

She said: "To speak to people who are inspired by protests is not an endorsement of violence.

"The media and political establishment consistently focus on respectability over people's real pain and needs.

"This only causes people to feel unheard and unsupported.

"Austerity is not just a topic: people are dying as a result of governments' decisions to cut spending and make our communities pay their debts, in France and here in the UK.

"Peaceful protest is an essential tool to make sure the government acts as urgently as we need it to."

FRENCH PROTESTS - READ MORE:

• Donald Trump suggests 'leaving' Nato as he blames migrants who 'despise' France for chaos
• Map of Europe reveals countries hit by protests this week with continent in turmoil
• French PM calls for curfews to tackle 'violent ultra-left rioters' after another night of chaos

Hackney Labour said it had raised the matter with the monitoring officer and the council's chief executive.

A Labour spokesman for the borough told the newspaper: "Peaceful protest is a fundamental democratic right.

"But it is deeply concerning that a sitting Hackney cabinet member invoked France in this context, given the violence and tensions seen there.

"Such comparisons risk inflaming fears and divisions rather than bringing communities together.

"We call on Councillor Schechter and Hackney Greens to clarify these careless comments, and remind those in positions of power that their words carry weight and can have real consequences."

One former councillor said Ms Schechter's remarks showed "no awareness" of the current political climate.

"How anyone could suggest that burning public buildings and riots is inspirational defies belief," the councillor said.

"That an elected politician is suggesting it is scandalous.

"I cannot believe, given the terrible history we have in Hackney for riots and unrest, that they could be so irresponsible."

The former councillor warned the "mob will come wading in" as a result of the calls to protest.

Another former councillor said the post was "really unhelpful", and claimed the French protests "started off as totally legitimate" but were soon "hijacked by people with more extreme views".

"It wouldn't take much for a legitimate protest about how we are going to manage the budget to become something it shouldn't," the former councillor added.

Last week, GB News highlighted several protests organised in the wake of the civil unrest in France, with accounts promoting protests throughout the UK, including a mass mobilisation on November 7 and 8 in London, Birmingham and Manchester.