A grandad locked into a three week hunger strike has been harassed by a pro-Palestine youth in central Blackpool.
Paul Durant, 78, has taken to the local war memorial to protest against the state of Britain and to demand Sir Keir Starmer’s Government take action against illegal immigration.
“One Saturday this youth came and harassed me”, Durant told GB News.
In a video the pensioner showed The People’s Channel, a youth with a foreign-sounding accent can be seen on a bike in front of Durant. The man shouts the chant popular with pro-Palestine protesters: “Free free Palestine.”
The youth followed the chant up with declarations of “F*** Israel” and would alternate chants ad nauseam.
Durant says this is not his only incident with those who oppose him: “Another time police had to move a lad on who was shouting at me. The officer said:’You heard the gentleman. Move’!”
Durant is twenty-four days into a hunger strike that he sees as his last ditch attempt to persuade the Government to scrap mass immigration and prioritise the welfare of those already residing in Britain.
He said: “We have a Government that doesn’t care about anything that is going on. They don’t care about the stabbings, the homeless or the ex-military. I’m prepared to give my life if helps to stop it.”
But the drastic action has taken a toll on Durant. His daughter has terminal cancer and the extra stress weighs on the family.
“My wife and family don’t want me to die and they want me to support them. But I can support my grandchildren and all this country’s children. That’s what I’m trying to do and that’s why I’m doing this. I’m prepared to give my life for my country and the people of this country,” he said.
Asked whether he had a clear demand of the Government, Durant said: “Immediately I want you to stop this illegal immigration. Any boat that gets here without documentation. Immediately, no questions asked – straight on a plane back to France”.
Lamenting the political class for rising crime and community tensions, the Briton continued: “They have no common sense. They go to university and come out thinking they know everything.”
Asked whether his local MP or the council had been in touch, the pensioner shook his head: “I haven’t heard a word from the council or my local MP, they’re not interested.”
Though Durant’s hunger strike has been reported in local media and by GB News, the concerned pensioner has been unable to get out his voice elsewhere, saying the rest of the national media “don’t want to know”.
Despite such drastic action undertaken due to the anxiety over immigration that is shared by many Britons, his hunger strike was unknown to many locals.
One couple out shopping told GB News they shared this concern over immigration: “[There are] no schools, no hospitals no GPs. The amount of money [the migrants] are getting and then they take it off of pensioners!”
On whether this hunger strike will be met with a proper response by the government, the couple said: “No. It’s Labour’s ideology. I don’t trust them to deal with anything.”
Nevertheless, Durant’s decision to act roused some admiration: “He’s like a lone soldier. I support him 100 per cent”.
Another elderly Scottish gentleman sat on the town’s square a church said: “Immigration does worry. It’s becoming difficult to maintain our services.”
He said he wasn’t able to trust Labour to solve the problem. When asked what the Government could do to improve his sense of hope for Britain’s future, he said bluntly: “Do something about immigration.”
But perhaps in accordance with generational divides on immigration across the country, a group of young men disagreed with the prevailing mood.
“They [asylum seekers] are coming for safety and refuge. Their living conditions aren’t the best. We need better for refugees.”
Questioned whether it is fair for asylum seekers in hotels to not have to worry about their fuel bill this winter, when some pensioners will now have to, the young man said: “The heating in the hotels is good for them, they need it.”
All three young men, however, agreed it was admirable for Durant to “do something for a cause” and the pensioner had their respect.
Blackpool council did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Blackpool North MP Lorraine Beavers was not able to provide a comment upon request. Lancashire police did not respond to a request for comment.
Durant pushes on with his hunger strike to save his beloved Britain: “I promise you, I don’t intend to eat”, he vowed.
https://www.gbnews.com/news/blackpool-grandad-hunger-strike-illegal-immigration-palestine-youth
