London protests: Police make 11 hate crime arrests in crackdown on toxic speech at Unite the Kingdom and Nakba rallies

"The rival marches - the Unite the Kingdom rally organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, and a pro-Palestinian Nakba 78 rally - went ahead relatively peaceably, with 4,000 police officers on duty in an unprecedented policing operation preventing clashes between the rival protests. But 43 people were still arrested in the policing operation, with 20 of those detained affiliated with the Unite the Kingdom protest, and 12 with the Nakba protest. Eight further arrests were not affilliated with either rally, or it hasn't been possible to confirm an affiliation, the Met said."

"Three arrests were the result of live facial recognition. Police said of the 11 hate crime arrests, two were of Nakba protesters and nine were on the Unite the Kingdom march. Seven other hate crime offences remain under investigation with outstanding suspects police said. One of the arrests at the Nakba protest was for support for a proscribed organsiation. The arrests included offences motivated by race, religion, sexuality and disability."

"Met chiefs warned people who chanted Death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces), Globalise the Intifada, anti-Muslim or other hate speech faced arrest and being fast-tracked through the courts. Protesters at the Unite the Kingdom march Organisers of the rallies were also warned they risked prosecution for hate offences at their events under powers being used by Scotland Yard for the first time. Among the other offences people were arrested for were for assaulting an emergency worker, possession of an offensive weapon, and failure to remove a face covering."

"The policing operation cost 4.5m, with 660 officers drafted in from elsewhere in the country. Drones were used to monitor both protest routes, and live facial recognition was used for the first time in a protest policing operation, at Euston and King's Cross St Pancras railway stations. Setting off in Kingsway and ending in Parliament Square, marchers in the Unite the Kingdom rally called for clampdowns on"

Two rival marches, a Unite the Kingdom rally and a pro-Palestinian Nakba 78 rally, proceeded with limited clashes under an unprecedented policing operation. Four thousand officers were deployed to prevent confrontations, including 660 officers drafted from elsewhere, and drones monitored both protest routes. Live facial recognition was used for the first time in protest policing at Euston and King’s Cross St Pancras. Forty-three people were arrested, with 20 linked to Unite the Kingdom and 12 linked to the Nakba protest, while eight arrests had no confirmed affiliation. Eleven hate-crime arrests were made, including offences motivated by race, religion, sexuality, and disability. Police warned against hate speech and warned organisers about potential hate-offence prosecutions. The operation cost £4.5m.

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