Tower Hamlets pro-Palestine convoy blocked traffic on A13

Met Police became aware of the cars displaying Palestine flags heading into Central London at around 10.15pm on Saturday (November 18).

The cars were said to have originally assembled at a car park in Hancock Road in Tower Hamlets.

Roads policing units, public order teams and the police helicopter were reportedly deployed to intercept the convoy.

A spokesperson for Met Police said the cars were held in Exhibition Road in South Kensington and a dispersal order was put in place.

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All 80 cars, the spokesperson added, were given notices ordering them to disperse, with one vehicle seized and fixed penalty notices given to 18 drivers.

A further nine vehicles were served with prohibition notices after police found defects that made them unfit for use.

Officers also found that on their way into London, the convoy stopped twice- on A13 and Limehouse Link Tunnel- causing disruption and danger to other travellers.

After examining social media and other available footage, the officers have issued an appeal to identify 15 people who were involved in the said convoy.

T/Commander Karen Findlay, who led this weekend’s policing operation, revealed that on some previous occasions convoy of cars have passed through Jewish communities with some shouting anti-Semitic abuse.

When the convoy was spotted by Police, she said a plan a was in place to ensure it would not reach areas where its presence would cause “alarm and intimidation”.

The group, she added, had plans to move on from Exhibition Road to the Israeli Embassy off Kensington High Street.

She said: “Our intervention on Saturday night was effective in stopping this convoy in its tracks, but now we need to identify those we suspect of being involved in offences earlier on their route.

“The public have been a great help in recent weeks when similar appeals have been made and I have no doubt they’ll continue to do the same.”

All the images can be viewed on this link: https://news.met.police.uk/news/met-appeals-for-information-after-convoy-blocks-major-roads-475507

Officers have urged anyone who identifies the people in the images to contact the police on 101 citing reference 4237915/23 and the unique number in the bottom corner of the images being released.

Anonymous tips can be sent to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.