We will remember them... army of poppy sellers undaunted in the face of protests

THE courage of 40,000 poppy-selling volunteers in the face of pro-Palestinian protests was praised last night.

- Robert Kellaway

The Royal British Legion said its defiant army of collectors - including many military veterans and older people with "real stoicism" were "determined" to carry on.

It came after hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters surrounded poppy sellers at London's Charing Cross train station last Saturday.

Tens of thousands had taken part in marches across the country to protest against Israel's bombing of Gaza during its war against Hamas terrorists.

MPS reacted with anger at the suggestion activists were intimidating collectors and putting people off wearing a poppy. The RBL's Poppy Appeal director, Andy Taylor Whyte, said: We're immensely proud of our 40,000 collectors.

"Come rain or shine, they will be out collecting for the appeal. The volunteers at Charing Cross just want to get on with the job and are back out happily collecting.

"Many of them are from the Armed Forces community poppy etch there's a real stoicism among our community. They just want to get out and collect."