Met announces conditions for Palestine Coalition protest

A policing operation will take place this weekend as a protest by the Palestine Coalition travels through central London.

The Met has imposed conditions on the event under the Public Order Act to minimise the risk of serious disruption to communities.

The procession, on Saturday, 10 October, will form up on the Embankment at 12:00hrs.

It must then travel via Westminster Bridge, York Road, Waterloo Bridge and the Strand onto Whitehall.

A rally in Whitehall must conclude by 18:30hrs.

We anticipate between 7,000 and 10,000 people will take part

A protest by Stop The Hate is also expected to take place outside New Scotland Yard. We have also imposed conditions on this event to minimise the risk of serious disruption to communities and/or serious disorder.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Carl Galvin, who is leading the policing operation this weekend, said:  “Ahead of the protest we have been in constructive discussion with the Palestine Coalition, as well as partners, residents, businesses, faith and community groups. We know Saturday’s event, so close to the third anniversary of the terror attack on Israel, has the potential to have a greater impact on communities than the previous national matches.

“The Met’s aim is to protect the lawful right to protest while minimising the impact on those who live, work and visit London. Our policing presence on the day will be significant, with conditions imposed on the events.

“We will also be using powers under the Public Order Act requiring anyone in the protest area wearing face coverings to deliberately conceal their identity to remove them.

“We have seen debate about this issue following the student protests earlier this week, with the presumption that police will arrest anyone wearing a face covering.

“To be clear, we have the power under Section 60AA to arrest someone who refuses to remove a mask. And we will do so if we see groups of people who refuse and are covering their faces with the intention to hide their identity, intimidate and commit offences. That is unacceptable.

“But for individual cases, officers must carefully assess why a person is wearing a mask and respond in a measured way. Where necessary, they will intervene and enforce the law, recognising that this may sometimes lead to conflict. That is the nature of policing in certain circumstances.

"On other occasions an arrest may not be the most appropriate course of action in that moment. This is not ‘two-tier policing’ - it is officers exercising professional judgement and acting proportionately based on the facts before them.

“There have been 35 large protests organised by the groups that make up the Palestine Coalition since October 2023. The majority who attend do so peacefully and lawfully, but we have seen arrests from a small minority across these protests for racially and religiously aggravated public order offences, for stirring up racial hatred and for supporting terrorist organisations.

“We will continue to take a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime and other offending.”

Details of conditions for Saturday, 10 October for the ‘Palestine Coalition – National March for Palestine: End the Genocide’:

Section 14(3) Public Order Act 1986

Anyone participating in the event must remain within the red shaded area on the map below (Embankment) until such time as the procession commences along the prescribed route.

Section 12(3) Public Order Act 1986

Anyone participating in the procession must not deviate from the route specified on the map below, namely Victoria Embankment, Westminster Bridge, York Road, Waterloo Bridge, Strand, Whitehall.

Anyone participating in the procession must not enter the ‘emergency access lane’ on Westminster Bridge and Westminster Bridge Road (as indicated on the map).

Section 14(3) Public Order Act 1986

Anyone participating in the assembly must remain within the red shaded area on the map below.

Any speeches and/or music being performed/played as part of the assembly must conclude by 17:30hrs.

The assembly must conclude by 18:30hrs.

Details of conditions for the "Stop the Hate – Two Tiers Ends Here" assembly

Section 14(3) Public Order Act 1986

Anyone taking part in the assembly must remain within the designated area outside New Scotland Yard as shown on the map below.

The assembly must conclude by 14:30hrs.

Section 60AA Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994

A Section 60AA has been authorised for Saturday’s events in the area as designated by the map below.

Police can require removal of a face covering if they reasonably believe that the person is wearing it wholly or mainly for the purpose of concealing their identity. The face covering can also be seized.