Police support officers are guarding the Cenotaph in Rochdale after “Free Palestine” was painted across it ahead of Remembrance Sunday.
It follows two incidents at the cenotaph, one on Monday and one today. It is understood the graffiti appeared on Tuesday afternoon.
Two teenagers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have been charged with intentionally or recklessly causing public nuisance.
Speaking to Sky News, Billy Howarth, from Rochdale, described it as “heartbreaking”.
“I’ve been coming and going for the last two or three days trying to protect it in small ways,” he said.
“This is the third attack on it in a week.
“This community is very veteran-led in Rochdale. It’s got a lot of veterans – it’s disturbing.”
Chief Superintendent Nicky Porter, GMP Rochdale district commander, said: “We join communities across Rochdale in being deeply saddened by the incidents at the Cenotaph – the memorial is a particularly poignant reminder of those who have given their lives to our country, particularly at this time year.
“We will not tolerate the criminal disrespect of the town’s Memorial Gardens and I hope the action we have already taken in response to these two incidents reassures our communities of that.
“Whilst the area is regularly monitored by CCTV operators and passing patrols, the partnership is working to sustain increased protection at this time. We have Police Community Support Officers at the scene at the moment and we will be looking to put lasting measures in place over the coming hours and days.
“We don’t underestimate the impact these events will have on our community of veterans, and I will be personally engaging with them and other community groups throughout this week.”
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It comes ahead of remembrance ceremonies across the UK this weekend. The Met Police in London have asked pro-Palestine demonstrators not to march.
However, Met Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has said the protest will go ahead, adding legally there is “no mechanism to ban a gathering, a static protest” – but that “if there’s a march towards the rally… that march in extremis can be banned.”
The protest will be “well away” from the monument, organisers have said, instead going from Hyde Park to the US embassy, and that it won’t start until after the 11am silence.
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Will pro-Palestine marches be banned on Armistice Day?
On Saturday, the home secretary said anyone vandalising the Cenotaph in central London on Armistice Day “must be put into a jail cell faster than their feet can touch the ground”.
Speaking exclusively to Sky News, Suella Braverman said she doesn’t want to “undermine” the police process by banning pro-Palestinian protests planned for Armistice Day next weekend, but that behaviour on the marches had been “utterly despicable”.
Thousands have protested in recent weeks over Palestinian deaths in the Israel-Hamas war, with 29 arrests during a fourth week of protests last Saturday, when a dispersal order was authorised.
Five people were also arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest at London’s King’s Cross station on Friday.
No demonstrations are planned in London for Remembrance Sunday, when veterans parade past the Cenotaph and politicians and royals lay wreaths.
The Royal Liverpool University Hospital has declared a critical incident due to “exceptionally high” demand on A&E and patients being admitted to wards.
The hospital said there had been a spike in people with flu and respiratory illnesses going to emergency departments in recent weeks.
A spokesperson for the hospital said it had a “comprehensive plan in place” and was “taking all the necessary actions to manage the challenging circumstances”.
“We are working with partner organisations to ensure those that are medically fit can leave hospital safely and at the earliest opportunity,” they added.
The hospital warned some people would experience delays as it prioritises the sickest patients.
People whose case isn’t an emergency are being asked to see their GP, pharmacy or walk-in centre – or call the 111 service for advice.
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The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is in the city centre and is the biggest hospital in Merseyside and Cheshire.
Declaring a critical incident can happen when a hospital is experiencing exceptional demand, or sometimes if there is a serious problem with staffing levels.
It indicates it can’t function as normal and allows it to take extra measures to protect patients, such as prioritising the most unwell people and getting support from other agencies.
It could last hours, a few days, or weeks if necessary.
A critical incident was also declared on Friday by the NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board.
It said it had seen almost four times as many inpatients compared with last year and urged people with flu to avoid going to A&E.
Zendaya and Tom Holland are rumoured to be engaged after the 28-year-old actress appeared at the Golden Globes wearing a massive diamond ring on her left ring finger.
They met after working together on 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and confirmed their relationship in 2021.
Sky News has contacted representatives for Zendaya and Holland for comment.
Zendaya chatted to journalists on the Globes red carpet, where she was nominated for best actress in a musical or comedy for her role in the romantic sports drama Challengers.
Despite being pipped to the prize by Demi Moore, who won for her role in body horror The Substance, there was plenty of buzz around Zendaya’s large diamond ring, which was clearly visible throughout the show.
A Los Angeles Times reporter appeared to ask Zendaya about it, holding up her own engagement ring and pointing to it. Zendaya responded by showing her left-hand ring.
The reporter then asked if the actor was engaged and “she kept showing her ring, smiled coyly and shrugged her shoulders mysteriously”.
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Holland, who is also 28, wasn’t at Sunday’s Globes.
Zendaya wore an orange Louis Vuitton ball gown, and diamond jewellery from Bulgari – for which she’s an ambassador – on the Globes red carpet.
But while the Dune star’s other jewellery items were listed in a press release, there was no mention of the ring on her left finger.
Zendaya, who rose to fame after her breakout role in Disney sitcom Shake It Up, became a household star after starring in Euphoria.
Tom Holland, who is the son of British actor/comedian Dominic Holland, won a role in Billy Elliot The Musical as a child, and has gone on to achieve global fame playing Spider-Man in six Marvel Cinematic Universe movies.