A man who confronted Michael Gove on Tuesday has been filmed apparently boasting about his right to carry arms, saying the “government should fear their people”.
William Coleshill, the co-editor-in-chief for anti-lockdown YouTube channel Resistance GB, recorded himself chasing the minister down Horseferry Road in Westminster.
Mr Gove was also being followed by a number of protesters and had to be protected by a ring of policemen who kept the shouting mob at bay.
Mr Coleshill was one of the first people who went up to Mr Gove on Tuesday afternoon, shoving a camera in his face and demanding: “How do you justify the illegal lockdowns that have been pushed on this country?”.
He was recording the incident for his anti-vaxxer media platform Resistance GB and had reportedly followed BBC Newsnight editor Nick Watt down the street on a previous occasion.
Mr Coleshill was a Conservative councillor until he was suspended in 2018, the Enfield Independent has reported.
In a video, linked on the Resistance GB Facebook page, Mr Coleshill appears to talk about his alleged arrest by the Metropolitan Police at an anti-lockdown rally in July of this year.
The footage shows him referring to an alleged conversation with a police officer.
He said: “I said well I don’t have to because the law is the law. It’s just your opinion isn’t it.
“I said I’ll carry it out of the police station and I’m going to take it straight out of this plastic container and put it right back in my…pocket. All men carry knives”.
It is an offence to carry any sharp or bladed instrument in a public place, with the exception of a folding pocket knife where the cutting edge of the blade is 7.62cm (3 inches) or less.
In the video he appears to express his view that: “Having arms is the ultimate check on government because people should not fear their governments, governments should fear their people.”
In the interview, filmed while Mr Coleshill was sitting in Parliament Square, , he said: “The Metropolitan Police is a rogue parliamentary, paramilitary standing army. We have a right to bear arms in this country. If you even have something that is within their own diktats they will attack you.”
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police, referring to protesters chasing Michael Gove, said: “During this protest, at approximately 2:20pm a group attempted to surround a Member of Parliament on Horseferry Road, acting in a hostile manner towards him.
“Officers immediately intervened, safely escorting the Member of Parliament to a nearby building. Detectives are reviewing footage to see if any offences took place.
“At this time, there have been no arrests specifically relating to this incident.”
They added that seven arrests were made at separate events during this demonstration on Gray’s Inn Road, Camden and on Victoria Street, Westminster.
The incident comes just days after the home secretary Priti Patel ordered a review into the safety of elected representatives in light of the attack on Sir David Amess MP.
Mr Gove thanked the Metropolitan Police for “their swift reaction” on Tuesday, adding: “I’m grateful to their officers for their thoughtfulness.”
The Independent put a number of questions to William Coleshill via email but Resistance GB declined to answer.
