A protest in Westminster turned violent as three police officers were injured and 40 individuals were arrested. The demonstration, organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and various other groups, started in Whitehall and was expected to end two hours later. However, a group of 500 protesters continued to protest after the majority of the participants left.
One officer was hurt after being struck in the face by a bottle that was thrown from the crowd, an incident which is now being investigated. Other arrests were made related to offences concerning assaults of emergency workers, obstruction of the highway, and breaches of public order.
According to the police, force was necessary to remove demonstrators from the crowd because some resisted arrest. Officers were then required to take action by putting cordons in place after a breakaway march advanced to Bridge Street, outside the Westminster Tube station. Finally, before 10pm, authorities moved into the group and arrested those presumed to be responsible for leading the offshoot, signalling an end to the protest.
The Palestinian Solidarity Campaign confirmed that its purpose for organising the protest was to emphasize the urgency for a ceasefire in Gaza, amid rising tensions between Israel and Palestine. The protests were triggered by efforts of various nations worldwide, including the USA, to broker a peace deal between both territories. It is is hoped that this weekend’s violence will not result in any escalation of hostilities
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