Pro-Palestine protesters defy Met’s pleas for Armistice Day march to be ‘urgently reconsidered’

The Met have asked organisers to “urgently reconsider” the pro-Palestine protest set to take place on Saturday during the Armistice weekend.

Officers met with organisers yesterday to discuss their concerns but said they declined to postpone the demonstration.

Organisers have said the protest will stay away from the Cenotaph in Parliament Street, Westminster, instead going from Hyde Park to the US embassy, and that it won’t start until after the 11am silence.

No demonstrations are planned for Remembrance Sunday, when veterans parade past the war monument.

Despite the positive work of organisers who have supported tens of thousands of people to protest peacefully since October 7, the force has said it is concerned by “breakaway groups” that may cause disorder.

Met Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Ade Adelekan, said: “The risk of violence and disorder linked to breakaway groups is growing.

“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.”

Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, and the following retaliatory bombardment of Gaza by Israel, tensions in London have risen.

The Met recorded 408 anti-Semitic crimes in London between October 1 and 27, compared to 28 in the same period last year. In that time, there have been 174 Islamophobic offences compared to 65 in the same period in 2022.

Protests have been held in London each Saturday since the war began last month calling for an end to the bombing of Gaza.

On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there would be no ceasefire until all Israeli hostages were released by Hamas.

Israel has been hitting Gaza with air strikes since the Hamas attacks on Israel that saw 1,400 people killed and more than 200 taken hostage.

Since the attack, the health ministry in Gaza has reported that Israeli bombs have killed more than 9,000 people.

Pictured top: Protesters gather at Trafalgar Square on October 14, holding flags and banners in support of Palestine (Picture: Claudia Lee)