Met Police urges Palestinian march organisers to delay demo

Thousands are expected to take part in a march in London on 11 November, the same day some Remembrance events are planned in the capital.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has previously called the timing of planned protests “disrespectful”.

Organisers had said they would avoid the area where the Cenotaph is located. However, the Met warned of a “growing” risk of violence and disorder fuelled by breakaway groups linked to the protests.

“By calling it a hate march, she creates the idea in the minds of people that it’s something that needs to be resisted.”

Author @mrjamesob says Suella Braverman’s comments on Pro-Palestine marches are ‘deeply deeply dangerous’.#PoliticsHub https://t.co/GlTNastFii

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— Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge (@SkyPoliticsHub) November 6, 2023

Earlier today, Just Stop Oil hit out at “lies” accusing the group of targeting the Cenotaph after around 100 protesters were arrested when traffic was brought to a halt near Downing Street.

Tory party deputy chairman Lee Anderson and London Mayor Sadiq Khan accused the group of targeting the war memorial on Monday.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Armistice Day, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said: “This is of concern ahead of a significant and busy weekend in the capital.

“Our message to organisers is clear: Please, we ask you to urgently reconsider. It is not appropriate to hold any protests in London this weekend.”

A statement from the force said it had spoken with organisers on Monday from several groups, and that they had “declined to postpone” any demonstrations.

The route of the pro-Palestinian march on Saturday runs from Hyde Park to the US Embassy in south London. It does not pass through Whitehall.

No large demonstration is planned for Remembrance Sunday.

Organisers have pointed out that the Saturday march is due to begin almost two hours after the national two-minute silence of commemoration.

Lindsey German of Stop the War – which is one of six groups listed as an organiser – told the BBC: “We met the police today and argued that we wanted to march and were determined to go ahead.

“We believe that this is a denial of our civil liberties and our freedom of expression.”

“Shutting down” protests would be a “wildly disproportionate response”‘

The Met has so far stopped short of invoking a public order law whereby it can ask the Home Secretary Suella Braverman to ban a demonstration from taking place.

Both the prime minister and Ms Braverman have criticised the timing of the march.

Mr Sunak said on Friday: “To plan protests on Armistice Day is provocative and disrespectful, and there is a clear and present risk that the Cenotaph and other war memorials could be desecrated, something that would be an affront to the British public and the values we stand for.”

He added that the police had the government’s “full support in making robust use of all your powers to protect Remembrance activity”, in a letter to Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley.

Ms Braverman has previously described pro-Palestinian protests as “hate marches”.

Civil liberties group Liberty said police “should not be able to pick and choose what people can speak out about on any given day”, adding “shutting down” protests would be a “wildly disproportionate response”.