Rochdale Cenotaph ‘Free Palestine’ graffiti is ‘outrageous’, says Steve Barclay

Cabinet minister Steve Barclay has slammed “Free Palestine” graffiti scrawled on a Cenotaph in Rochdale as “outrageous”.

Police are currently standing guard at the Cenotaph following the damage caused on Tuesday (7 November).

Speaking on Sky News, Mr Barclay said: “It’s outrageous to have graffiti on it. It is something that people quite rightly feel strongly about.

“The right to protest, the freedoms that we have are as a result of the sacrifice that people made in giving their lives and it’s something people will be very upset to see and are very concerned about.”

Mr Barclay also said a pro-Palestine march planned for Armistice Day would be “provocative”.