The Metropolitan Police has warned organisers of a pro-Palestine march against starting their demonstration near a London synagogue on Saturday, January 18.
Protesters planned to gather outside BBC's Broadcasting House in central London before marching to Whitehall. However, on Thursday night, Scotland Yard told the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) that their proposed route was threatening to “seriously disrupt” the Shabbat services at a neighbouring synagogue.
The Met has “considered the opinions of local community and business representatives” including members of a synagogue located “very short distance” from the planned rally meet-up location. They added they could impose Public Order Act restrictions to stop the proposed rally if the PSC wished to continue to use Portland Place as their meeting point.
In response to the Met’s demand, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) said in a statement on Wednesday: “The Palestine coalition rejects the implication that our marches are somehow hostile to or a threat to Jewish people.”
Meanwhile, the PSC said that police had agreed on the route about two months prior, and they were only made aware of the modification on Wednesday.
According to commander Adam Slonecki, who will be leading the police operation that weekend, the PSC is “continuing to encourage protestors to form up in Portland Place”.
He said: “It is not our role to give permission for protests, but we can use our powers under the Public Order Act to apply conditions.”
Since October 2023, these powers had been deployed “more occasions than at any other point in recent history”, the commander added.
It’s not the first time the Met has intervened in the demonstrations. It also imposed a restriction on the pro-Palestine protest that took place in London in September 2024 amid safety concerns. The start time and form-up point of the march were restricted by the Met using their authority under the Public Order Act because two pre-existing annual events were already taking place on the same day.
Director of PSC, Ben Jamal, said at the time: “To make changes to the start time seems to us to be a tactic designed to deter people from attending.”
Where and when are the next pro-Palestine protests?
The next pro-Palestine march will take place on Saturday, January 18.
Those who wish to take part are currently being asked to meet in front of the BBC headquarters in Portland Place at midday.
In addition to this march, there will be a demonstration outside Camden Town Hall on January 20, calling on the council to remove corporations involved with Israel from its pension fund.
Another protest will be held on January 22 outside Lewisham Town Hall to urge the local authority to stop funding Israel.
