London Al-Quds Day Rally Sees Arrests Amidst Government Ban, Protests
LONDON – Hundreds gathered in London on Sunday for the annual Al-Quds Day rally, a demonstration banned by the British government due to concerns over public order and alleged links to the Iranian regime. Despite the ban, a static demonstration was permitted, drawing both pro-Palestinian supporters and counter-protesters to the streets of the British capital.
The ban, approved by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, marked the first time a protest march in London was prohibited since 2012. Authorities cited the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, including recent missile and drone attacks launched by Iran since February 28, as justification for the measure.
Police reported 12 arrests, citing offenses including support for a proscribed organization, affray, and threatening behavior. Officers are also investigating chants made during the protest, including reports of demonstrators shouting “Death to the IDF,” allegedly led by musician Bobby Vylan, who faced a similar investigation last year at the Glastonbury festival.
Videos circulating on social media, including a post on X (formerly Twitter) from @OnlinePalEng, appear to show the chants.
https://twitter.com/OnlinePalEng/status/2033281925108875333
The Metropolitan Police acknowledged public concern regarding the chants, particularly within London’s Jewish communities.
Al-Quds Day, observed on the last Friday of Ramadan, is an annual event expressing solidarity with Palestinians and opposition to Israel. The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), which organizes the march, condemned the ban as “politically charged.”
Demonstrators on the south side of the River Thames waved Palestinian flags and held signs calling for an end to “Israeli war crimes,” referencing Israel’s offensive in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks.
On the opposite bank, counter-protesters displayed US and Israeli flags, alongside the historical Lion and Sun flag of the Iranian monarchy. Some chanted support for Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah.
“We are supporting the king of Iran, we are asking America and Israel to help us eliminate the IRGC,” said Shiva, a 37-year-old Iranian chef living in London, referring to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The protest unfolded with approximately 1,000 police officers deployed to separate demonstrators and counter-protesters, according to The Guardian.
Jean Apps, 81, a pensioner from south London, explained her presence at the demonstration, stating, “What has happened to the Palestinians is so unjust… I know Iran is not perfect, but the Iranian people should be left to sort out their own problems.”
The event underscores the heightened tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its reverberations internationally, particularly in light of Iran’s escalating regional role. The government’s decision to ban the march reflects a delicate balance between upholding freedom of expression and maintaining public order amidst a volatile geopolitical landscape.
Reporting by Nouvelles-du-monde.com
