Police prepare as pro-Palestine march and counter-protest set to clash with London’s festive crowds

London volition beryllium busier than accustomed this play with a pro-Palestine march and counter-protest acceptable to clash with Black Friday buying and Winter Wonderland festivities, constabulary say.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) demonstrators volition march from Park Lane to Whitehall connected Saturday afternoon, successful their 21st protestation since Hamas attacked Israel successful October 2023.

Counter-protesters from Stop The Hate volition stitchery connected Coventry Street adjacent Piccadilly Circus, connected the way of the PSC procession, to impulse the marchers to “stop supporting terror”.

This includes chanting, wearing covering and displaying articles specified arsenic flags, signs oregon logos.

Scotland Yard said it expects the play to beryllium 1 of the busiest buying weeks earlier Christmas, with Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland besides occurring nearby.

The unit would not accidental however galore protesters it expects to instrumentality to the streets, but said erstwhile demonstrations person seen “significant numbers”.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Jon Savell, who is starring the policing operation, said: “Ahead of the play we person been successful regular discussions with the PSC, counter-protesters Stop the Hate, arsenic good arsenic religion and assemblage groups – peculiarly the Jewish assemblage who we cognize proceed to beryllium impacted by protests – residents, and businesses.

“We expect this play to beryllium precise engaged with galore radical buying during the Black Friday sales, and visiting the superior up of the festive period, including Winter Wonderland successful Hyde Park which is nearby.

“We person worked with organisers to question to minimise disruption and equilibrium the close to protest.

“Officers volition beryllium highly disposable on the protestation way and wider country to guarantee the events instrumentality spot safely and volition woody with immoderate offences.”

PSC speeches volition hap successful Whitehall, and the assembly indispensable decorativeness by 4.30pm nether conditions laid by police.

The advocacy group, which has been astatine the forefront of organising pro-Palestine marches crossed the country, are demanding an extremity to what it calls “British complicity successful Israel’s genocide and apartheid” of Gaza.

Last week, the International Criminal Court issued warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his erstwhile defence curate and Hamas’s subject chief, accusing them of crimes against humanity successful transportation with the warfare successful Gaza.

The UK would respect the process acceptable retired nether home authorities erstwhile it comes to the apprehension warrant, Downing Street said.