Pro-Palestine and Kurdish protesters take to the streets in weekend of demonstrations
Thousands of people took to the streets in protest at the weekend as three demonstrations flooded central London on two of the busiest shopping days in the lead-up to Christmas.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators turned out in their thousands and marched from Park Lane to near Parliament on Saturday.
The protest, organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, an end of arms sales to Israel and an end to the hostilities in Gaza.
The demonstration was met with a counter-protest by the pro-Israel Stop the Hate group taking place on the march’s route.
A heavy police presence was dispatched to the area with warnings released ahead of the protests that expressing support for militant groups Hamas or Hezbollah are criminal offences.
Officers said chanting slogans, wearing clothing and displaying articles including flags, signs or logos that express support for the groups would amount to an offence.
The Stop the Hate supporters gathered in Coventry Street, near Piccadilly Circus. They were separated from the pro- Palestine march by metal barriers and a line of police.
This morning, the Met has released images of a man they want to speak to in connection with an alleged public order offence which took place in Coventry Street between 1pm and 4pm.
A white man can be seen wearing a dark flat cap, a dark brown jacket, dark brown scarf and black rucksack.
Anyone who recognises the man in this photo or has any other information about the incident should call 101 with reference 01/1145262/24.
Pro-Palestine speeches took place outside Parliament in Whitehall, with demonstrators told to finish by 4.30pm.
The march on Saturday was the 22nd since the conflict began in October, according to the PSC.
More than 44,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 104,000 injured by Israeli attacks since October 7, 2023, according to Gaza’s ministry of health. Many of those identified have been women, children and elderly.
The revised death toll in Israel from Hamas’s October 7 attacks stands at around 1,200, with more than 100 people still held hostage.
In a separate demonstration yesterday, Kurdish protesters gathered in response to the arrests of seven people said to be associated with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), and the closure of the Kurdish Community Centre.
Around 100 demonstrators marched from Trafalgar Square to Whitehall, with some holding banners which read “stop the stigma, end the oppression”, “stop the attacks on the Kurds”, and “solidarity with the Kurds, end the injustice on the Kurds”.
The PKK – a separatist group – has been fighting against the Turkish state since the early 1980s, calling for an independent Kurdish state in south-east Turkey. It has been banned in the UK since 2001.
The Met set out public order conditions ahead of the march which meant the protest and speeches had to finish at 4.30pm with the assembly concluding by 5pm.
Chief Superintendent Joe McDonald, who led the policing operation, said: “We understand the strength of feeling from the Kurdish community and want to take this opportunity to remind anyone taking part that the PKK is proscribed by the UK Government and expressing support for them is a criminal offence.
“Officers will be highly visible along the protest route and wider area to ensure the events take place safely and will deal with any offences.”
Pictured top: Pro-Palestine demonstrators marching towards Downing Street during the rally (Credit: David Tramontan/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire)