NICOLA Sturgeon has condemned Boris Johnson after Keir Starmer had to be rescued from an angry mob surrounding him outside the Westminster Parliament.
The Labour leader faced baseless allegations of “protecting paedophiles” and chants about Jimmy Savile just days after Johnson aimed a smear about the sex offender at the Leader of the Opposition.
Last week during PMQs, an under-pressure Johnson accused Starmer of having “used his time prosecuting journalists and failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile” while director of public prosecutions (DPP).
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The comment has its origins as a right-wing talking point shared online, which falsely states the Labour leader stopped Savile from being prosecuted while head of the CPS.
On Monday Starmer, surrounded by police, was followed down the street while being targeted with shouts of “why aren’t you opposing?” and “traitor” by Covid restriction protesters.
Someone yelled: “You should be hung.”
“Why did you go after Julian Assange, why did you go after journalists?” one man shouted.
It was understood Starmer was not harmed during the incident.
After he was taken to safety, an officer was called a “pathetic little thug” during angry exchanges.
Protesters were seen displaying signs opposing mandatory vaccination and the use of restrictions to prevent Covid-19 deaths.
Scotland Yard said two arrests were made following clashes between police and protesters on the Victoria Embankment after Starmer was taken to safety.
Johnson has still not apologised for the “scurrilous” Savile smear, which long-standing adviser Munira Mirza cited as the reason for resigning as No 10’s head of policy.
Late on Monday night, Scotland’s First Minister hit out at Johnson.
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Sturgeon tweeted: “Any politician choosing to weaponise online conspiracy theories against opponents knows fine well that they risk stirring up the kind of hate and abuse that Keir Starmer experienced today.
“If he has any decency at all, the PM will now apologise unreservedly.”
But on Tuesday morning, Johnson resisted fresh demands to apologise.
At least six Conservatives, including a former Cabinet minister, joined MPs from across the political spectrum in linking the harassment to the baseless claim which Johnson made.
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