Rutland MP Alicia Kearns has joined calls from MPs for legislation to better protect war memorials.

The MP's move follows the violence and vandalism of the recent Black Lives Matter protests in London and elsewhere, which attracted more than 100,000 people despite social distancing restrictions due to the pandemic.

In Westminster, the statue of Winston Churchill was defaced with protesters daubing graffiti claiming he was 'racist.'

Protesters also tried to set fire to the Union Flag as they sought to deface the Cenotaph.

Following a weekend of protest, Home Secretary Priti Patel told parliament yesterday that 135 arrests had been made.

She also supported police, including the 35 who had been injured during the protests, who had seen missiles and flares thrown at them and a bike pushed towards a horse leading its policewoman rider to be injured as the horse bolted.

Today, Rutland MP Alicia Kearns issued a statement saying she was working with other Conservative MPs and the Conservative Friends of the Armed Forces on new legislation.

The Desecration of War Memorials Bill would empower the courts and police to more easily prosecute those who seek to deface and destroy memorials erected to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

The Rutland MP commented: "On the 76th Anniversary of D-Day (Saturday June 6) I watched in horror as the Cenotaph was graffitied, and mindless vigilantes hijacked Black Lives Matter protests and tried to set on fire war memorials in our Capital.

"Those responsible for defacing war memorials do not stand for freedom, liberty or justice, and we need to make clear these egregious insults to those who died for our freedoms are abhorrent.

"War memorials are reflection sites for us to come together in gratitude to those who gave everything for the freedoms we all enjoy today, to learn about our history, day never again, and to pay tribute to all those who have fought in the name of our country and freedoms.

"That's why I'm backing a new Desecration of War Memorials Bill, to ensure that no quarter is given to those who desecrate our war memorials. The lives and memories of the fallen matter."