A Green Party councillor in Hackney has been criticised after encouraging people ‘inspired’ by recent protests in France to attend an upcoming anti-austerity demonstration in London.
Florence Schechter, Hackney Council’s cabinet member for Finance, Resident Services and Digital, promoted a march planned for Tuesday, the day before the government’s autumn Budget announcement.
The demonstration aims to challenge “austerity” and demand action over public spending and its effects on communities.
In a social media post, Schechter, who is Jewish, wrote: “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 Green Party subsequently shared her message on Instagram, bringing further attention to the comparison between the planned London demonstration and the situation in France.
While many of the student-led protests across France in recent weeks took place peacefully, there was also significant disorder, including rioting and property damage, leading to clashes with police.
Images of burning buildings, damaged vehicles and shattered public infrastructure have intensified concerns about the potential consequences of unrest.
Hackney Labour confirmed that it had raised concerns with the council’s monitoring officer and chief executive.
A Labour spokesperson said: “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.”
Meanwhile, speaking to The Times, one unnamed former councillor questioned the judgement behind presenting the French demonstrations as a source of inspiration, particularly given the damage and disorder reported during the unrest.
“How anyone could suggest that burning public buildings and riots is inspirational defies belief,” they 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.”
Another former councillor told the paper the intervention was “really unhelpful”, arguing that protests which begin with legitimate grievances can sometimes be taken over by groups with more extreme objectives.
They also warned that a demonstration intended to challenge the Government’s economic policies could potentially develop in an unpredictable direction.
Schechter, however, rejected the suggestion that her comments amounted to support for violence. Defending her position, she argued that drawing attention to public anger and encouraging political participation should not automatically be interpreted as endorsing disorder.
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.”
She went on: “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.”
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