Police arrest 77 pro-Palestine protesters after ‘effort to cause disruption’

More than 70 protesters were arrested during a huge pro-Palestine demo in central London.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign protest, which took place after a ceasefire deal was announced between Israel and Hamas, saw “a coordinated effort to breach Public Order Act conditions and cause serious disruption to Londoners” by some of the participants, the Met Police has alleged.

In an update, the force said officers arrested 77 people during the demonstration.

Saturday’s Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) protest had been was adjusted to be a static rally after police curtailed organisers’ plans for a march past the BBC.

But a group of demonstrators allegedly marched towards Trafalgar Square from Whitehall after speeches were made at the rally.

Protesters met a line of police officers and eventually broke through, with those who made it to the square later finding themselves being held in one corner.

The Metropolitan Police warned the group to disperse or face arrest, later announcing dozens of arrests had been made, including 65 on suspicion of breach of conditions.

Commander Adam Slonecki, who led the policing operation, said: “We have policed more than 20 national protests organised by the PSC since October 2023.

“This is the highest number of arrests we have seen, in response to the most significant escalation in criminality.”

He continued: “We could not have been clearer about the conditions in place. Protesters were to remain in Whitehall with no march towards the BBC.

“Our relationship with protest organisers has to be based on trust and good faith. If they say they will act responsibly and lawfully we need to be able to know those are genuine assurances.

“That is why it was so deeply disappointing to see a deliberate effort, involving organisers of the demonstration, to breach the conditions and attempt to march out of Whitehall.

“Officers responded bravely and decisively, ensuring they got no further than Trafalgar Square and certainly nowhere near their target.

“I am quite confident this was a co-ordinated breach with the intention being to reach the BBC at Portland Place in defiance of the conditions.

“There is video footage of one of the organisers clearly inciting the crowd to join a march and one of the organisations involved has released a statement this evening confirming as much.

“At the same time as the group was attempting to force its way past police lines, camera crews were seen arriving in Portland Place. It is unlikely that the timing was simply a coincidence.

“We are in possession of footage from officers’ bodyworn cameras, from CCTV and from social media. We know who was involved in leading the movement of so many people through police lines.

“Investigations are now under way and we will make every effort to bring prosecutions against those we identify.”

The PSC had planned to gather the BBC‘s London headquarters protesting what the organisation alleged was a “pro-Israel bias” in its coverage, as per The Guardian.

But the force said it had blocked the march from gathering there due to Broadcasting House’s close proximity to a synagogue and the risk the protest could cause “serious disruption” to the Jewish holy day, as congregants attend Shabbat services.

The PSC and the BBC have been approached for comment.

The demonstration comes just hours after a long-awaited ceasefire deal was reached between Israel and Hamas.

It offered the first glimmer of hope in months that both sides may be winding down the most deadly and destructive war they’ve ever fought, a conflict which has destabilised the Middle East and sparked protests worldwide.

Hamas triggered the war with its cross-border attack, which killed some 1,200 Israelis and saw 250 others taken hostage.

Israel responded with a fierce offensive which killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials. An estimated 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced, sparking a humanitarian crisis.

More than 100 hostages were freed from Gaza in a weeklong truce in November 2023.