Conditions imposed on Palestine Coalition protest

Tonight’s protest organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War and other groups will now take place outside the Ministry of Justice in Petty France and not in Whitehall as originally planned.

Officers intervened to request that the protest be relocated to ensure that there would be no serious disruption to the menorah lighting event which takes place in nearby Trafalgar Square each evening during Hanukkah.

We are aware of claims from the protest organisers that there was an attempt to ban the protest entirely but this is not accurate. We have tried to engage constructively with the organisers to ensure the right to protest was protected while also taking steps to provide reassurance to the many members of London’s Jewish communities who should be able to attend Hanukkah events without fear or intimidation. Indeed it was Met officers who proposed that the protest be relocated to Petty France as was ultimately agreed.

While we anticipate that those participating in the protest will no longer assemble in Whitehall, we have imposed Public Order Act conditions which will give officers the power to intervene in the event that anyone still tries to do so.

Nobody participating in the Palestine Coalition demonstration is allowed to assemble in the area shown in blue which covers Parliament Square, Whitehall and the surrounding area. This applies from 16:00hrs to 23:00hrs.

We have also set out an area to the north of Oxford Circus, including Portland Place, where we know Hanukkah events are taking place and where the same conditions apply. This applies from 16:00hrs to 23:00hrs.

We would also urge anyone intending to take part in the demonstration to familiarise themselves with the statement signed by the Commissioner which was published earlier today and which sets out the policing approach that they can expect to see if offences that provoke a fear of violence and cross the line from protest to criminality are seen.