Westminster Council leader calls for pro-Palestine marches to be suspended

"We agree with the Government's reviewer of terrorism legislation, Jonathan Hall KC, that there should be a moratorium' on pro-Palestinian marches to be clear we support freedom of speech and assembly but this should be proportionate as for too long these continuous almost weekly marches/protests have added to the challenges facing our most vulnerable residents and communities and send damaging messages that extremist opinions are acceptable."

"He urged the Home Secretary and Sir Mark Rowley, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, to convene an urgent meeting to discuss the protests and other related issues. The Metropolitan Police Service said that they are likely to spend around 4.5 million on policing the event on Saturday. Around 4,000 police officers will be part of the operation across London, including 600 officers from other police forces across England and Wales."

"The terrorism threat level has been raised to severe and in recent weeks and months we have seen a terrorist attack and a sustained campaign of arsons targeting Jewish Londoners against a backdrop of increasing hate crime, in particular antisemitism, said Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman. Fears in Jewish communities are particularly heightened, but we have also seen increased concerns more broadly, including in Muslim communities."

"This combination of risk and complexity leaves us no choice but to implement a policing plan that imposes the highest degree of control on all groups intending to protest and move about Central London on Saturday. The scale of the operation is unprecedented in recent years. The planning for it has been ongoing for months."

A leader of Westminster City Council called for suspending pro-Palestine marches and wrote to the Home Secretary about planned protests in Westminster. The letter supported freedom of speech and assembly but argued for proportional limits, saying continuous almost weekly marches have increased challenges for vulnerable residents and communities and convey that extremist views are acceptable. The leader urged an urgent meeting with the Home Secretary and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner to address protests and related issues. The Metropolitan Police Service said policing for Saturday is likely to cost about £4.5 million, involving around 4,000 officers across London, including 600 from other forces. The terrorism threat level was raised to severe, with recent attacks and arson targeting Jewish Londoners alongside rising hate crime, including antisemitism and concerns in Muslim communities. Police said the risk and complexity require the highest degree of control for groups protesting and moving in central London, with an unprecedented operation planned for months.

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