Across the uk. How will the rest of the weekend pan out . Well, you can the details you can find all the details with me a little later on. Good morning, im Stephen Dixon im ellie and dixon and im Ellie Costello and this breakfast on. This is breakfast on. Gb news. And you know, when honours are given out, i do. Yeah. Unfortunately, i havent been the recipient. No, but i get a bit peeved when its all people who get get it for services to broadcasting or services to acting or services to politics and all that stuff, because theyre basically just doing their job. Yeah, right. Yes. I think you should get them for doing things that are. And one thing which that are. And one thing which you to say, i dont you always used to say, i dont know if you do, but know if you still do, but police, police, lollipop men and women. Were often would get women. Yeah were often would get something. And always thought something. And i always thought thats great because theyre doing voluntarily. And was doing that voluntarily. And was that not paid position. No i think i think its voluntary. You might correct me from but you know, and people tend to be doing it in their own after theyve retired. Dont realise that. Thats i dont realise that. Thats lovely. Mirror lovely. Anyway in the mirror this theres this brian this morning, theres this Brian Andrews morning to you. So years old and he so hes 86 years old and he is retired after 24 years of doing the job. He used to always greet the children with a joke or a song. Apparently this is in, anlaby in east yorkshire. Hes been doing it since 2000. Hes been doing it since 2000. Hes leaving because of health reasons. He said some of the reasons. He said some of the kiddies in the younger years when i started have got children of their own. Its been a pleasure. Theyve made my life wonderful. They held a special assembly at the school for him. Lovely is that . Oh how lovely is that . Oh how lovely is that . And i think that thats the sort of people who should be getting honours and thanks and recognition. A brilliant well recognition. A brilliant well done brian. How lovely. And also the oh how lovely. And also the fact that can have a whole fact that you can have a whole second career you clearly second career that you clearly love in retirement. Love so much in retirement. Children. Oh, yeah. Helping children. Oh, its its a really, its just like its a really, really nice thing. Oh, that is lovely. Thank you for sharing that. Thats made me feel happy. Good. Youre a lollipop good. If youre a lollipop man love to man or a lollipop lady. Love to hear this morning. Hear from you this morning. Gbnews. Com yoursay. Do yeah. Gbnews. Com yoursay. Do get touch now. Get in touch now. Our main news today is about the metropolitan police whove apologised for causing causing further offence with an apology about an officers use of the tirm openly jewish to an anti Semitism Campaigner who was near a pro palestine march. You are quite openly jewish. This is a pro palestinian march, right . Im not accusing you of anything , right . Im not accusing you of anything, but im worried about the reaction to your presence. The reaction to your presence. Well, the chief executive of campaign against anti semitism was wearing a kippah skullcap when he was stopped from crossing a road near the demonstration in london last saturday. Lets talk to political commentator Peter Spencer who joins us now. Look, its a delicate issue in a sense as far as the government goes, because theyre trying to balance the rights of people who want to protest against the rights, who are, anti that particular protest. But to say to someone you are quite clearly, openly jewish, you shouldnt be in this area , cannot be right, can it . Area, cannot be right, can it . And how how do politicians deal with that . Do we think the fact is that the world is inflamed and on tenterhooks . Is the conflict in the middle east about to explode into something much, much bigger . And what we have in london is , is an what we have in london is, is an echo of that tension in microcosm. Now, when it comes to microcosm. Now, when it comes to this specific thing, a thing , this specific thing, a thing, this specific thing, a thing, this specific thing, a thing, this specific incident, it has to be said that the police are not noted for their linguistic dexterity. Anybody else would say, the bloke was walking up the road and they have to say, the road and they have to say, the individual was proceeding in a northerly direction. I mean, they , theyre not good on on they, theyre not good on on words and openly jewish sounds. It has a sort of a connotation of saying like, youre openly 93v of saying like, youre openly gay. Well, look, they changed the law now, so youre allowed to be gay, but they still place that inflection on the on the terminology. That said , you terminology. That said, you watch that video and the Police Officer in question was very clearly not trying to be horrid to this man. What he was trying to this man. What he was trying to say was, look, youre in some danger because you are wearing a kippah skullcap and there is a demonstration going on which is opposed to the actions of the israeli government. And so the policeman, to some extent, was placed in an absolutely impossible situation. And i have to say that that that were going to were this situation will perpetuate until things in the middle east, god willing, simmer down a bit, peter, we were talking, just over a month ago now, werent we, about the governments counter extremism commissioner warning that london had a no go zone for had become a no go zone for jews, that that was a warning about six weeks ago. Well, this would suggest that thats true, isnt it . This man was not there, in his position to counter protest. He was actually just trying to cross the road. He says , after leaving the road. He says, after leaving the road. He says, after leaving the synagogue. And that would suggest it a no go zone. Suggest it is a no go zone. It is a come back to it is a very , very tense situation, no very, very tense situation, no go zone. I mean, those words themselves have got sort of rather powerful and decidedly scary connotations , but the fact scary connotations, but the fact is that when youve got a bunch of people, a large bunch of people feeling extremely upset about a certain thing, then it is unfortunate, that you get someone of, of potentially the opposing view to be close by. I mean, i mean, i mean, i dont usually hold a great candle for knacker of the yard , but on this knacker of the yard, but on this occasion, i do feel that they are placed in an extremely difficult position and thus far i would add that i think theyve actually handled that, handled the situation the overall situation of protests and counter protest with a great deal of skill and delicacy because of the fact that, you know, there have been suggestions in the past, well, you cant have these demonstrations. Youve got to break them up. And they very wisely thought, if we try to do that, well have to bring the army in. And, they will carry army in. And, so they will carry on situations on having difficult situations and, potential and, and, and potential confrontations. And they are doing the very best they can in a bordering on impossible situation. Okay, peter, for now , thanks okay, peter, for now, thanks very much indeed. Well, the metropolitan Police Released an initial statement saying in recent weeks, weve seen a new trend emerge with those opposed to the main protests appearing along the route to express their views. The fact that those who views. The fact that those who do this often film themselves while doing so suggests that they must know their presence is provocative, that theyre inviting a response , and theyre inviting a response, and theyre increasing the likelihood of an altercation. Altercation. Well, the metropolitan police then deleted that first statement and released a fresh one, saying, we have reflected one, saying, we have reflected on the strength of the response to our previous statement. But to our previous statement. But in an effort to make a point about the policing of protest, we caused further offence. This was never our intention. We have was never our intention. We have removed that statement and we apologise. Being jewish is not a provocation. Jewish londoners must be able to feel safe in this city. I mean, this is the issue when you listen to what the Police Officer is saying. I think peters got a point when in a way, the Police Officer, apart from saying openly jewish, you know, the Police Officer has a point in saying, well, this could be, you know, this could be provocative in the circumstances , but the man has circumstances, but the man has a right to be there. I mean, right to be there. I mean, thats the point. Hes got a right to be there. The fact he is jewish is shouldnt actually play is jewish is shouldnt actually play into it. You know, the fact, you know, if somebody else who was, very pro pro israel, or i mean, in his case, he would argue, well, im just anti im anti anti semitism , then who anti anti semitism, then who wasnt wearing a kippah was just stood there. Would anything have been said . No and this is the problem. It is slightly nuanced in a way i wouldnt want to see this. This Police Officer hung, drawn and quartered over, over what he said. But clearly what it wasnt right. It wasnt right. No. Well, it wasnt right. I you can see what peter said. Peter spencer is saying hes not being horrid. Hes trying to keep that man safe. Thats probably what hes trying to do. If we give him the benefit of the doubt. But you would think thats not this mans problem. That every right to that man has every right to cross street his home cross the street in his home city and feel safe to do so. It should be the pro palestinian should be on the pro palestinian marches. Its their responsibility to not be violent, to not to be violent. Exactly. Yeah but it didnt come across that way. So thats the response from the metropolitan police. Is that enough . What do you make of that story . Do you let us know what you think . Gbnews. Com yoursay back now to the United States, where a man set on fire outside set himself on fire outside a courthouse in new york, where former president Donald Trumps hush money trial is underway . Yes. Police have identified the man as Maxwell Azarello from florida , who is in his 30s. Hes florida, who is in his 30s. Hes been taken to hospital and is in a critical condition. Well, the Trump Campaign released a statement offering its condolences to the traumatised witnesses after the blaze. Well, joining us now from washington is us political analyst eric ham. Good to see you this morning, eric. And this is absolutely traumatising isnt it. Oh it certainly is. I mean ive actually been at outside that courthouse where donald trump is now. And of course there have been protests and demonstrations, but certainly no one ever thought that you would see an individual who would actually set himself on fire. And so i can only imagine how that must have been. Just deeply traumatised, traumatic for many of the people who were there and were actually had to witness that, just kudos to those who actually jumped into action to try to save that mans life. I mean, the thing is here, its very difficult to understand what the man was trying to achieve. Isnt it . His . I mean, he was sort of anti trump and anti biden, it would seem all all at the same time. I mean, clearly a disturbed individual. Clearly a disturbed individual. Oh, absolutely. I mean, i think its a horrible a horrific situation that we saw play out today. And of course, no one knows really what was going through this individuals mind to make him do Something Like that. But of course, we know if the idea was to just protest, you know, his conditions or to , you know, his conditions or to, you know, his conditions or to, you know, his conditions or to, you know, illustrate just how deeply, problematic the country is right now. I think it there were probably more constructive ways to do it. And so i think thats what we see playing out. Thats what we see playing out. And for people who havent seen the videos, and i wouldnt suggest you do, because it is very distressing and traumatising. Can you just explain exactly happens . Explain exactly what happens . Because quite a few because it does take quite a few seconds , doesnt it, before seconds, doesnt it, before people realise what people start to realise what what happened . What has happened . Well, mean, i wasnt there , well, i mean, i wasnt there, so i mean, you know, i dont know, i, i what, what, what led this individual to, to do what he did in terms of how he just set himself on fire. We do know that he, because of the trial , that he, because of the trial, there is a number of First Responders that are there just for the sake of the trial. And we know there are protester demonstrations. So its a very locked down situation. Its, you locked down situation. Its, you know, press are everywhere. And so we know that they were able to move in very quickly, but still its just a very, distressing situation. Distressing situation. Is this an indication then, of just i mean, just how tense are things in the United States in the run up to november . And with i mean, theres so much going on globally. Theres so much pressure on biden at the moment. Obviously, trump, with his trials and being controversial yet popular as he is. I mean, really, can you cut the tension with a knife in the states . Oh, absolutely. You can. But you know, its not just tension. Theres also just deep unease. And anxiety, people are people literally dont know what direction the nation is actually going in. In fact, we know elections are always about the future. Theyre always about the future. Theyre always about the vision that candidates will lay out in terms of where they want to take the country. But what we are seeing play out right now is Many Americans literally do not know where the nation is headed. And of course, as you mentioned, you know, you see a war taking place around us. And of course, evenin place around us. And of course, even in our own backyard, theres so much unease of the border is extremely porous and vulnerable right now. And so americans are dont know where to turn. And i think thats just only creating more tension , more only creating more tension, more anxiety. And its only increasing the polarisation that were seeing play out right now. Okay. Okay. Eric ham , thank you very much eric ham, thank you very much for your time. Thank you , for your time. Thank you, talking about those problems, global problems, which are affecting everybody actually, it causes unease for all of us anyway, World Leaders are calling for calm and de escalation in the middle east after, as we reported yesterday, israel launched air strikes against iran. Well, according to reports, three drones were shot down with explosions heard at an air base near the city of isfahan. Now, the strike thought to be in response to last weekends attack when iran fired drones and missiles at israel. And missiles at israel. Well, joining us now is defence editor at the Evening Standard , robert fox. And, standard, robert fox. And, robert, is it safe to say that we can all breathe a sigh of relief for now . I think youre right that theres a pause for reflection now for very good reason, because theres been some very interesting israeli comment, not part of the government or the military set up in the more liberal press. Things like the times of israel, very good online paper, haaretz, which i look at every every morning, both available in english, are saying that, you know, that a lot of this wasnt really long term preplanned action reactions going on. And i think that this is whats so fascinating is both tehran and tel aviv , jerusalem are thinking tel aviv, jerusalem are thinking where they are. They have sent where they are. They have sent signals to each other which they understand the strike. It starts. There were three things we have to go through the strike on the damascus consulate , which on the damascus consulate, which actually hit hit much harder, i think, than the israelis expected, because they they hit a command cell of the elite of the revolutionary guard corps. And this really hit that element, which is the elite, very active outside iran, very, very active outside iran, very, very hard indeed. Thats why very hard indeed. Thats why there was going to be an extreme reaction. It was extreme, though mild in effect. But it was extreme in that it was an attack on israeli territory from iran. On israeli territory from iran. What how do they do it . They do it with swarm tactics. See it with swarm tactics. See whether it works. This is what weve got. Lets see how you respond to that. And israel has responded, and i think this has been really clever, whether by accident or by design, by the israeli authorities. They havent said what they really did. Now you have reported that they were drones. The Israeli Press is reporting it was a strike around isfahan on a key area, sending a signal by three very precise air launched missiles from aircraft. I think it was a bit of both, a lot. There was a lot of now you see me, now you dont. Now lets see where we are. And you get the chorus of the backers around saying, be careful , do this chorus of the backers around saying, be careful, do this and do that. But the two principal players are eyeballing each other. And the interesting thing is , neither is blinking so far, is, neither is blinking so far, but neither seems to want to go crazy. Which is reassuring. Crazy. Which is reassuring. Which is unusual for me to say that. Well, yeah, it is. I mean , well, yeah, it is. I mean, whats also interesting, this is iran has talked about the attacks coming from within the country , from infiltrators, country, from infiltrators, which is a its intriguing, but b does that then give them a bit of a get out clause to say we dont necessarily need to respond . Respond . Well, i dont want to sound partisan here. Its not nonsense. It has happened in the past. Copter drones have been launched from within and this is the thing that really worries the Iranian Regime because there are dissident groups we know that is active there and there are would you believe it . Racial tensions between the azeri minorities in the north, which are a big minority, and the farsi, the persians, and