The Catch-up: Should Mark Field have been suspended?

What happened?

MP Mark Field was suspended as a minister today after shoving a climate protester against a pillar at a black tie event and leading her from the room by the neck. Prime Minister Theresa May made the decision to suspend him from his Foreign Office job after viewing footage of the incident, which she found “very concerning”. Greenpeace protesters disrupted the black-tie event, where Chancellor Philip Hammond was speaking, to demand action to tackle the climate emergency. Mr Field apologised but defended his actions, saying he reacted ‘instinctively’.

Was it right to suspend him?

The incident has sparked a furious row, with MPs who jumped to Mr Field's defence clashing with those who have criticised the violence. London Mayor Said Javid called the incident 'truly shocking'. Shadow women and equalities secretary Dawn Butler described the incident as “horrific” and said “so much violence does not seem justified”. Labour MP Jess Phillips said she found the footage of what happened 'harrowing'.

Others said Mr Field was correct to act the way he did. Tory MP Johnny Mercer tweeted: “Honestly? Try being in our shoes in the current environment. He panicked, he’s not trained in restraint and arrest, and if you think this is ‘serious violence’, you may need to recalibrate your sensitivities. Calm down, move on, and be thankful this wasn’t worse.” Conservative MP Sir Peter Bottomley, told the BBC: “He intervened, I congratulate him for that, I would have done the same, and although she may have been harmless, others won’t be.

Read more:

‘Unsettling, but Mansion House was not a violent protest’ (Sky News)

‘The case of Mark Field shows how the spectre of violence is destroying our political culture’ (The Independent)

Tory MP gives bizarre defence for Mark Field grabbing activist by the neck (HuffPost)

‘The Mark Field video is chillingly familiar to anyone who recognises male violence’ (The Guardian)

Opinion has been divided among Yahoo users on the severity of the punishment which MP Mark Field deserves after his clash with a Greenpeace protester on Thursday night. Mr Field has come under fire for what some have branded an “horrific” act after he grabbed a climate change activist by the next at a black-tie dinner at Mansion House. How severely do you think Mr Field should be punished? Read the full story and have your say below:

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