In anticipation of Armistice weekend, the Metropolitan Police has urged pro-Palestinian protest organizers to postpone their events. The planned demonstration scheduled for November 11 in London has received criticism from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who called the timing “disrespectful.” Though organizers stated they would avoid the area near the Cenotaph, the Met warned of the growing risk of violence and disorder fueled by breakaway groups linked to the protests.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan made a statement, saying that this is a concern ahead of a significant and busy weekend in the capital. The Met’s message to organizers is clear: “Please, we ask you to urgently reconsider. It is not appropriate to hold any protests in London this weekend.” The force claims it had to speak with organizers from several groups, and that each declined to postpone any demonstrations.
The route for the pro-Palestinian march will run from Hyde Park to the US Embassy in south London. It does not pass through Whitehall, and no large demonstration is planned for Remembrance Sunday. Organizers pointed out that the march will begin nearly two hours after the national two-minute silence of commemoration.
Lindsey German of Stop the War, one of the six groups listed as an organizer, said they met with police on Monday, and they “argued that we wanted to march and were determined to go ahead… We believe that this is a denial of our civil liberties and our freedom of expression.” As of now, the Met has not invoked the public order law, which would allow them to ask the Home Secretary Suella Braverman to ban the demonstration. Both Braverman and the prime minister have criticized the march’s timing
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