Pro-Palestine Marchers Clashed with Police in London; 11 Arrested

A pro-Palestine march through central London on the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks led to clashes with police and counter-protesters, with 11 arrests made throughout the day.

During the march, a woman was photographed making an inverted triangle gesture with her fingers while holding a Palestinian flag. The symbol has been associated with Hamas, who have used inverted red triangles in propaganda videos to mark Israeli targets. Supporters, however, argue it is a broader symbol of Palestinian resistance.

Demonstrators chanted "free free Palestine" and "free the people, free the land" as they gathered at Lincoln's Inn Fields. Police had imposed restrictions, including a requirement for protesters not to wear face coverings that conceal their identity. Despite warnings, some marchers appeared to ignore the order, though many reportedly removed face coverings after being approached by officers. One individual was arrested for allegedly refusing to remove a face covering.

Counter-protesters confronted the marchers, with exchanges of chants and insults. Israeli supporters were heard shouting slogans directed at the pro-Palestine demonstrators.

In addition to the arrests during the main march, five people were arrested outside the Board of Deputies of British Jews in Camden for alleged offenses including inciting racial hatred and breaching public order conditions. Four further arrests were made during the student march, and another person was arrested at a counter-protest in Holborn for allegedly breaching Public Order Act conditions. One individual participating in the student march was arrested on suspicion of common assault.

The Metropolitan Police stated that officers would review evidence gathered to determine if further offenses had been committed. The march, which began at Lincoln's Inn Fields and proceeded towards Russell Square, was policed by dozens of officers and caused disruptions to traffic.

The president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Phil Rosenberg, stated that the organization "would not be threatened or intimidated" following the protest outside their headquarters. He condemned the masked protesters chanting about "intifada" and harassing neighbors, expressing gratitude for the police response and arrests.

New rules set by the Met required the group to gather in a specific area and follow a prescribed route, with the rally scheduled to end by 2 p.m. Participants were warned of arrest if they breached these "stringent" conditions. A counter-protest by Stop the Hate was also ordered to conclude by 2 p.m.

Calls had been made for the protest to be banned, with Defence Secretary Wes Streeting branding the planned demonstrations "shameful" and Education Secretary Lucy Powell urging students to "show compassion and protest on another day." King's College London closed entrances facing the Strand at three of its buildings for safety reasons.

The march was advertised on social media by student activists calling for an "end to the Palestinian genocide." The demonstration occurred on the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks, during which Hamas militants killed over 1,200 civilians and took 251 hostages.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman of the Metropolitan Police acknowledged the "day of mourning and reflection" and the concerns raised by Jewish communities. He confirmed stringent conditions had been imposed to manage the event and minimize disruption, warning that anyone breaching conditions or committing offenses would face arrest. Harman noted that the police cannot ban protests but can request the Home Secretary to do so if the risk of serious disorder is too high to be managed, a threshold that was not met in this instance. He also addressed inquiries about the legality of the protest, stating that while organizers were not yet identified, the failure to identify an organizer does not automatically meet the legal criteria for a ban.