The cost of anti-Israel protests

The following Parliamentary Question was tabled by Michael Fabricant and has just been answered:

Police: Demonstrations

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for each of the demonstrations about Gaza and Israel held since 1 January 2009, how many police were injured; what damage to police vehicles took place; and what the cost of policing was; and if she will make a statement. [248609]

Mr. Coaker (Home Office Minister): Information provided by the Metropolitan Police Service is that to date police officers have reported 55 assaults by protestors and nine police vehicles have been damaged. The Metropolitan Police Service estimates that the total cost of the policing operation, between 29 December 2008 and 24 January 2009, is £2.7 million.

Needless to say, there were no assaults or damage arising from the pro-Israel demonstrations.  You have to wonder what sort of nervous political correctness has ensured that the damage done by anti-Israel and extremist Islamic protesters has previously been hidden from the press.

Tim Montgomerie