Met sets out policing plan ahead of weekend protests

There will be a significant policing presence in Westminster this weekend with a number of large protests expected.

On Saturday, two protest marches will converge on Whitehall where a rally will take place.

The ‘Together Alliance’ march will form up in Park Lane from midday before setting off and heading along Piccadilly, down Regent Street St James’s, along Pall Mall and Cockspur Street and into Whitehall.

A separate march organised by the Palestine Coalition will form up at the southern end of Exhibition Road, also from midday, before turning left into Cromwell Gardens, along Brompton Road, along Knightsbridge to Hyde Park Corner where the march will turn onto Piccadilly, joining the route of the Together Alliance march set out above.

The rally in Whitehall must conclude by 17:00hrs.

In addition, a number of protests against the Iranian regime – both static assemblies and marches – are due to take place in the Westminster area on both Saturday and Sunday.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Jon Savell, who is in charge of the policing operation this weekend, said: “This is going to be a busy weekend for our officers but we have detailed plans in place to ensure all groups protesting this weekend can do so lawfully and without causing serious disruption to other Londoners, businesses or visitors.

“We have imposed conditions under the Public Order Act to ensure only form up and rally areas that have been agreed in advance are used, to set fixed routes that must be followed and to determine required end times.

“I know there have been some concerns raised about the proximity of the Palestine Coalition form up point at the southern end of Exhibition Road, with a synagogue that is located just under a mile away.

“We know that in the past, concerns about being caught up among protesters have led some Jewish Londoners to avoid going to synagogues on days when protests have been taking place in central London. This is hugely regrettable and we have taken steps this weekend that we hope will provide reassurance to anyone with similar concerns.

“The conditions in place require participants to only form up south of the junction with Prince Consort Gardens which is half a mile away from the synagogue. In addition, we will have officers deployed in the vicinity who will ensure anyone arriving is directed to the appropriate location and prevented from gathering outside the conditioned area.

“Dispersal zones will be in place to ensure officers have the power to order people to leave the area if they gather in places away from the agreed form up locations that cause disruption or harassment and intimidation.

“I am mindful that it is less than a week since the appalling arson attack in Golders Green which will only have compounded already heightened fears in the Jewish community. We take these fears seriously and have carefully considered them in our planning, balancing them as we are required to do against the rights of others to lawful protest.

“Officers have been briefed to be alert to any behaviour that crosses the line from protest into criminality, including hate crime targeting any group. They are there for everyone’s safety and will intervene decisively where incidents and offences take place.

“Away from central London, we continue to have additional officers – both local teams and specialist units – patrolling in areas with significant Jewish communities. They are working closely with partner organisations, including the Community Security Trust, not just to provide reassurance but to disrupt and deter anyone wishing to commit offences and do harm.”

Details of the Public Order Act conditions and Section 35 dispersal order in place:

Any person forming up ahead of the Palestine Coalition march must remain in the shaded area on the map below – namely the south end of Exhibition Road below the junction with Prince Consort Gardens.

The march must begin by 12:30hrs.

Any person participating in the Palestine Coalition march must not deviate from the route shown on the map below - namely Exhibition Road, Cromwell Gardens, Thurloe Place, Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, Hyde Park Corner, Piccadilly, Regent Street St James’s, Pall Mall, Cockspur Street, Whitehall.

Any person forming up ahead of the ‘Together Alliance’ march must remain in the shaded area on the map below – namely the south end of Park Lane.

The march must begin by 12:45hrs.

Any person participating in the ‘Together Alliance’ march must not deviate from the route shown on the map below – namely Park Lane, Hyde Park Corner, Piccadilly, Regent Street St James’s, Pall Mall, Cockspur Street, Whitehall.

Anyone participating in the rally following the Palestine Coalition and ‘Together Alliance’ marches must remain within the shaded area in Whitehall shown on the map below.

The rally must conclude by 17:00hrs.

Section 35 Dispersal Order

Between 09:00hrs and 23:00hrs on Saturday, 28 March there will be two Section 35 Dispersal Orders in place in the areas shown on the maps below.

People will be asked to leave the areas if we have reasonable grounds to suspect that their behaviour in the locality has contributed or is likely to have contributed to;

• members of the public in the locality being alarmed, harassed or distressed or;

• the occurrence in the locality of crime and disorder

and removal is necessary to remove or reduce the above.