Stop the War activists defended Bashar Assad as a ‘good man’ on Parliament Square last night with one woman insisting he would not kill civilians because he is a doctor.
President Assad has been blamed by the West for the devastating chlorine assault on civilians in Douma earlier this which killed at least 75 people.
His regime has been proven responsible by the UN for more than 30 chemical attacks during the past five years.
The Stop the War claims came as Chris Williamson, a close ally of Jeremy Corbyn, told last night’s rally coalition strikes on Saturday were an attempt to destroy evidence.
A Stop the War activist (pictured) defended Bashar Assad as a ‘good man’ on Parliament Square last night, insisting he would not kill civilians because he is a doctor
Protesters descended on Parliament Square last night as MPs inside debated Theresa May’s decision to join air strikes against the Assad regime
Stop the War have protested repeatedly in Westminster this week but have yet to stage a demonstration outside the Russian embassy
The woman interviewed by ITV at the Parliament Square rally was asked if Assad was a ‘good man’.
She said: ‘Yes, he is a good person. He’s a very good man.
‘He’s a doctor, for heaven’s sake! Do you think he goes around killing Syrian people?’
Questioned on whether she believed Assad over the Prime Minister, she agreed and added: ‘He’s not a murderer, he’s the president of a country for god’s sake!’
Following ITV’s broadcast, Stop the War tweeted to insist the views ‘in no way reflect those of Stop the War UK.’
Speaking from the podium at the rally, Mr WIlliamson told protesters: ‘Why would the Assad regime at this stage of the appalling conflict in Syria, where he’s virtually won the battle for Eastern Ghouta, launch a chemical weapons attack when it would be bound to bring on the wrath of the West?’
Chris Williamson, a close ally of Jeremy Corbyn, told last night’s rally coalition strikes on Saturday were an attempt to destroy evidence
He added: ‘The motive is questionable, the evidence – where is the evidence? It just isn’t there.
‘And it’s no coincidence, it seems to me, that on the day before the OPCW inspectors were due to start their inspection, these air strikes took place. What is going on?
‘There are very serious questions, it seems to me, that need to be answered.’
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been repeatedly criticised for appearing to equivocate over who was to blame the for the Douma attack.
In the Commons yesterday he faced shouts of ‘shame’ as he told MPs the Government was wrong to join air strikes without a vote.
He said that it was now ‘vitally important’ that OPCW inspectors were allowed to investigate and report their findings.
He went on to say: ‘We have the grotesque spectacle of a wider geopolitical battle being waged by proxy, with the Syrian people used as pawns on all sides.’
The Labour leader has repeatedly caused anger by making clear he does not accept that the strikes on Bashar Assad’s chemical weapons capability by the US, UK and France were legally justified on humanitarian grounds.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been repeatedly criticised for appearing to equivocate over who was to blame the for the Douma attack