Mr Rees-Mogg was caught in a mass brawl as masked students screamed “Nazi”, “fascist” and “racist” at him during an event held at the University of the West of England, in Bristol, on Friday evening.
Disturbing video emerged from the event, showed the Conservative MP standing up to a group of masked men who were attempting to stop the event.
Nawaz insisted the hard-left was becoming as bad as the far-right, insisting Mr McDonnell’s previous comments have somewhat inflamed the situation.
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We’ve ended up in a scenario where people can no longer speak their minds from fear of violence
The LBC host played a historic clip of the shadow chancellor calling for “direct action” to be taken against Conservative MPs.
Mr McDonnell told a rally in 2012: “I want to be in a situation where no Tory MP can travel anywhere in the country or show their face anywhere in public without being challenged by direct action.”
The shadow chancellor made another speech at a Coalition of Resistance Delegates conference in September 2011, where he also called for civil disobedience, even if it is illegal.
Speaking on his LBC show, Nawaz had stern words for Mr McDonnell. He said: “John McDonnell wants to see a situation in the country where no Tory MP can travel anywhere in the country without direct action and without being directly challenged.
“Well, congratulations Mr McDonnell you’ve got the situation in the country that you so desired.
“We’ve ended up in a scenario where people can no longer speak their minds from fear of violence and that cannot be good for our democracy, it cannot be good for the diversity of opinions that allows us to question dogma and to challenge orthodoxy.”
He added: “What John McDonnell said just there what you heard on the audio is so dangerous because by stifling debate, by intimidating people and silencing opposition you are not striking a blow at the Conservatives.”
While admitting he has “never voted Tory”, Nawaz blast the Labour politician for his comments, adding: “it backfired on you, the blow your striking is against our very democracy.
“You are injuring and harming our freedom of speech and our democracy, you are thereby weakening the strength of this nation rather than ensuring that we continue to survive.”
