Pro-Palestinian Protests in London Met with Heavy Police Presence, Two Arrests Made
– Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in central London on Saturday, marking the anniversary of the start of the Hamas-Israel escalation, a Bloomber/PA report reads.
The demonstration, which saw a significant police presence, resulted in two arrests for assaulting emergency workers.
The Metropolitan Police had deployed a “significant” policing operation across the capital in anticipation of the protests and memorial events. The arrests occurred when individuals attempted to breach police cordons, preventing groups from breaking away from the main protest.
The march encountered counter-protests at various junctions in central London, including Kingsway and Aldwych, and the Strand and Trafalgar Square.
Activists convened at Bedford Square, where they planned to “target” companies and institutions deemed “complicit in Israel’s crimes,” including Barclays Bank and the British Museum. The demonstrators blocked Tottenham Court Road outside a Barclays branch, displaying signs that read, “Shame on those who looked away from the sadistic genocide of mainly children in Gaza and the West Bank.”
They later blocked Gower Street near the British Museum, chanting slogans such as “Yemen, Yemen make us proud. Turn another ship around,” and “British Museum. Paint it red. Over 100,000 dead.”
The demonstration, which included Lebanese and Iranian flags, saw many chanting “free, free Palestine.”
Meanwhile, a separate pro-Palestinian demonstration is scheduled to take place in Edinburgh on Saturday afternoon.
On Sunday afternoon, a memorial event will be held in Hyde Park, organized by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Jewish Leadership Council, and other groups.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that they were unaware of any significant public events planned for Monday, the anniversary of the attacks.
Commander Lou Puddefoot, overseeing the policing operation, stated that the force had policed previous protests “without fear or favor.”
