Thousands attend pro-Palestinian rally in London

A number of thousand Professional-Palestinian supporters have taken half in an indication in central London.

The rally – the newest UK protest organised by the Palestine Solidarity Marketing campaign (PSC) for the reason that battle in Gaza started in 2023 – comes as Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire and hostage launch deal.

The static rally in Whitehall came about after police blocked plans by organisers to carry a march from Portland Place, close to the headquarters of the BBC.

In a press release, the Metropolitan Police mentioned there had been 77 arrests in whole, greater than 60 of which had been individuals who breached circumstances by breaking by a police line and gathering in Trafalgar Sq..

Police had prevented demonstrators gathering exterior Broadcasting Home due to its shut proximity to a synagogue and a danger there may very well be “critical disruption” as congregants attend companies on the Jewish holy day.

Whereas the demonstration in Whitehall started largely with out incident, numerous arrests for public order offences had been made early within the day: one for displaying a placard that recommended help for banned organisations and one other for pairing a swastika with the Israeli flag.

Later, a bunch of protesters – deemed to be made up of greater than 1,000 individuals – tried to march from the rally however had been stopped a brief distance away after breaking by a police line to assemble at Trafalgar Sq..

The sq. was blocked off by police vans and officers. The demonstrators had been advised to disperse and go away the realm. Nonetheless, some remained and had been arrested for breach of circumstances.

Earlier, the Met mentioned that three individuals had been arrested on suspicion of breaching the circumstances put in place close to the BBC.

In whole there have been 65 arrests for breach of circumstances, 5 for public order offences, two for obstructing police, one for help for a proscribed organisation, one for inciting racial hatred, one for frequent assault, one for assault on an emergency employee and one for sexual assault.

Commander Adam Slonecki, who led the policing operation, mentioned: “We couldn’t have been clearer concerning the circumstances in place. Protesters had been to stay in Whitehall with no march in the direction of the BBC.”

He added that it was “deeply disappointing to see a deliberate effort, involving organisers of the demonstration, to breach the circumstances and try and march out of Whitehall.”

A smaller counter-protest involving pro-Israel supporters additionally came about close to Whitehall whereas different pro-Palestinian protesters held demonstrations in Belfast and Londonderry.

Posting on X forward of the rally, the Met mentioned any protesters getting into a delegated space close to the BBC would “be committing a legal offence and will face arrest”.

On the Whitehall protests, demonstrators may very well be seen holding indicators studying: “Gaza. Cease the bloodbath” and “Cease arming Israel”.

In the meantime, one banner mentioned: “Labour, Tories, BBC. You present Russia’s crimes however disguise Israel’s. Why?”

The PSC mentioned they welcome the ceasefire settlement however have considerations over whether or not it can maintain and are retaining the opportunity of holding additional marches underneath evaluation.

The PSC described the Met’s circumstances as “repressive” and referred to as for the pressure to carry them.

In a press release, Marketing campaign In opposition to Antisemitism mentioned the marches posed a “menace” to synagogues.

A spokesperson mentioned: “It’s shameful that the Met has refused to behave on that menace all this time”, including police ought to “lastly restrict these marches to static protests, as we have now been urging for over a 12 months”.

A whole bunch of Hamas fighters stormed throughout Israel’s southern border on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 individuals and taking greater than 250 hostages again to Gaza.

Greater than 46,700 individuals – the vast majority of them civilians – have been killed in Israel’s navy response, based on Gaza’s Hamas-run well being ministry.