A controversial Wandsworth Council meeting has sparked outrage among residents after a motion about the ongoing pro-Palestine protest at the Nine Elms Pavilion was rejected.
Despite strong support for the motion in the public gallery, the Council’s ruling Labour group voted against taking decisive action to address the ongoing disruption caused by the protest. Wandsworth’s Conservative councillors had voted in favour of the motion.
The vote followed an exchange between Nine Elms councillor Cllr Matthew Corner, and Cllr Simon Hogg, the Leader of the Council.
Residents have been suffering disruption caused by the protest for almost four months, since it started on 1st September 2024.
The motion included recommendations for the Council to:
Publicly condemn the protest for its highly disruptive impact on the community
Apply for an injunction to end the protest and formally respond to a petition submitted by residents in October
Repair damage caused by protesters, including graffiti removal and streetscape restoration
Establish a clear framework for managing future protests, with criteria for intervention, actions to protect residents, and collaboration with the police and community.
This decision means the Council will not take action to mitigate the disruption or repair the damage caused by the current ongoing protest, or set out how they will manage disruptive protests in the future.
Nine Elms councillor, Cllr Matthew Corner said: “The refusal to condemn the disruptive elements of the protest or repair the damage caused is outrageous. Residents have received no response to their concerns despite a letter to the Leader of the Council and a petition being lodged at the last Council meeting. The Council leadership’s inaction sends a message that they prioritise disruptive protesters over the wellbeing of residents.”
Residents who attended the meeting voiced their frustration, with one attendee stating, “We came to the Town Hall to ensure our voices were heard. It’s awful to see the Council dismiss our concerns so easily with so much disruption to our lives being caused.”
The meeting had begun with a heated debate over the Labour administration’s decision to suspend the standing orders which govern council meetings. This move, which limited the opportunity for questions to be put to the Council’s leadership, prompted the Council’s sole independent councillor to label the meeting “the worst Wandsworth Council meeting in my 30 years [on the Council],” accusing the Labour administration of acting as an “elective dictatorship.”
The Wandsworth Conservatives have pledged to continue campaigning on the issue of protest management for residents. Anyone willing to share their experiences or thoughts on disruptive protests in Wandsworth is encouraged to come forward.