Police investigating after Brexit protesters call Anna Soubry a ‘Nazi’

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Police are investigating whether any criminal offence was committed after an MP was branded a Nazi by Brexit protesters outside parliament.

Conservative MP Anna Soubry was verbally attacked while doing live interviews on College Green on Monday.

During a discussion on the BBC, people off-camera could be heard shouting “Soubry is a Nazi”.

The development came as dozens of MPs wrote to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner to express their "serious concerns" about the "deteriorating public order and security situation" outside Parliament.

A cross-party group of at least 55 MPs signed the formal letter to Cressida Dick criticising a "lack of co-ordination" in the response from the police and appropriate authorities despite assurances incidents before Christmas would be dealt with.

John Bercow, speaker of the House of Commons, has also called on police to step in after the incident, which was filmed while the Tory politician was speaking to the BBC’s Simon McCoy.

While discussing the prospects for Theresa May’s deal with the European Union, Ms Soubry paused the interview to draw attention to the abuse being shouted at her.

A small group of far-right protesters could be clearly heard shouting: “Soubry is a liar, Soubry is a Nazi.”

Breaking off mid-sentence and pointing at the protesters, Ms Soubry said: “I do object to being called a Nazi, actually.

“This is astonishing. This is what has happened to our country. But let’s try and move on and be positive about things.”

Mr McCoy was forced to apologise to any viewers who were offended by the clearly audible abuse before continuing with the interview.

Mr Bercow told the Commons on Monday he was “keeping a close eye on events” involving “aggressive and threatening behaviour” towards MPs.

There had been “what seems to be a pattern of protest” targeted in particular at women, he said, before adding that female MPs and journalists had been subjected to “aggressive protest and what many would regard as harassment”.

He added: “The House authorities are not technically responsible for the safety of members off the estate.

“That is and remains a matter for the Metropolitan Police, but naturally I take this issue very seriously and so, I am sure, do the police who have been made very well aware of our concerns.”

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: “Police received a third-party report of a public order offence on Monday 7 January, in the area of College Green, SW1.

“Officers are assessing if any crimes have been committed. There has been no arrest at this stage.”

A key figure in past far-right protests has been activist James Goddard, who films his encounters and crowdfunds his activities online. He was also part of a demonstration in Westminster over the weekend.

A livestream of that protest posted on Facebook showed him shouting: “If they want a war we’ll give them a war, let’s give them a f***ing war.” A 13-year-old girl taking part in the same “yellow vest” demonstration was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer.

In December Mr Goddard filmed himself verbally abusing Ms Soubry as a “traitor” – the same word used by neo-Nazis to label the murdered Labour MP Jo Cox.

After Ms Soubry finished her interview on Monday she was swarmed by protesters while walking back into parliament.

A video posted online by the pro-EU activist Femi Oluwole, who walked alongside her, shows the small group shouting abuse at Ms Soubry, accusing her of betraying her constituents and being a fascist.

One of the activists tells Mr Oluwole he also is a “traitor” and then says “Move out of the way Lammy”, apparently confusing the 28-year-old for Labour MP David Lammy.

Mr Lammy later tweeted: “I shouldn’t really be surprised that the thugs who today verbally abused and harassed Anna Soubry can’t tell the difference between me and Femi. I wonder what it is that confused them?”

Ms Soubry said: “Apparently MPs and politicians are meant to accept it as part of the democratic process.

“I fail to see why journalists and technicians should be subjected to the same abuse and intimidation as the police stand by and do nothing. They tried to stop me getting into parliament.”