The Green Party has encouraged people inspired by recent protests in France to participate in an anti-austerity march in London ahead of the UK government’s autumn budget announcement. The demonstration, scheduled for Tuesday, will proceed from Victoria Embankment to Downing Street via Trafalgar Square and is supported by trade unions and several left-wing organizations.

Florence Schechter, a Green councillor and cabinet member for finance, constitution, and democracy on Hackney Council in east London, called on activists to follow the example set by the French protests, which saw a wave of violence and widespread looting over the weekend—events described as the worst civil unrest in years. Schechter posted on social media: “Inspired by the protests in France? We have our own protest in the UK the day before the autumn budget is announced to tell our government what we think about austerity.”

The call has drawn sharp criticism from political opponents, particularly from Labour members in Hackney. A Labour spokesperson emphasized that while peaceful protest remains a vital democratic right, associating the UK demonstration with the French unrest risked inflaming tensions in local communities. Labour officials stated they had referred the issue to the council’s monitoring officer and chief executive for further review. A former councillor also condemned Schechter’s comments as lacking awareness of the local political climate, noting Hackney’s history of riots and warning about the potential for violence that could harm small businesses and community recovery.

Schechter responded by clarifying that encouraging people inspired by protests does not equate to endorsing violence. She critiqued the media and political establishment for prioritizing “respectability” over addressing the underlying social and economic grievances that fuel public dissent. “Austerity is not just a topic: people are dying as a result of governments’ decisions to cut spending and make our communities pay their debts, in France and here in the UK. Peaceful protest is an essential tool to make sure the government acts as urgently as we need it to,” she said.

In addition to the planned event on Tuesday, several other protests are being organized in London and other cities over the coming weeks. Social media campaigns, including one under the name “Wake Up UK,” have called for demonstrations on October 25 in Russell Square focused on issues including the climate crisis, cost of living, employment, racism, and social division. One post emphasized opposition to harm against civilians, businesses, or property during these actions. Further protests are scheduled for November 7 and 8 across London, Birmingham, and Manchester, though organizers and the extent of their coordination remain unclear.