Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Reality is that there is a very limited retreat of the vehicles, with the occupation forces providing cover undeer fire up to Salah al-Din Street

Anti-protesters to confront one of biggest pro-Palestine marches in UK

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News Websites
  • 11 Nov 2023 09:30
4 Min Read

Appearances and speeches are expected to be made by Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader, actors Juliet Stevenson and Maxine Peake, and the head of the Palestinian mission to the UK, Husam Zomlot.

  • x
  • Protesters hold flares during a pro Palestinian demonstration in London, Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023. (AP)
    Protesters hold flares during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in London, Saturday, October 14, 2023. (AP)

The London Metropolitan Police confirmed that a pro-Palestine protest of as many as half a million people will take place on Saturday in London to coincide with Armistice Day, but will be met with a large group of anti-protesters. 

As a result, the mobilization of 1,850 police officers with about 780 officers from outside London has occurred as Laurence Taylor, the Met’s deputy assistant commissioner, warned that they received intel that a "large numbers of counter-protesters will be coming to London with a view to confronting those taking place in the main march".

"I do believe if the groups come together, there will be serious disorder," he said, adding, "We know that there is likely to be some groups from both sides … who will likely seek each other out later on in the day."

Taylor noted that the officers will use "an extensive set of powers to prevent any disruption whatsoever", in what is said to be a more difficult policing operation than ever before conducted on a remembrance weekend.

Read next: UK to 'broaden' definition of extremism amid pro-Palestine rallies

"The objective of policing is to use the least intrusive force possible to achieve an end. There will be times this weekend where you see pockets of confrontation, despite the conditions and everything I’ve put in place to manage that", he continued, adding that we will witness "police intervention, and I hope we don’t but I think it’s likely you will see police having to use force to manage some of the situations that we have to deal with, and at times that might look messy."

"... it does mean that we are taking robust, rapid and agile action to deal with what we are dealing with."

'One of the largest in UK history'

Related News

Australia eyes law that may police campus speech on 'Israel'

ICE weaponized Canary Mission to silence student dissent

The counter-protestors would be allowed to be at the Cenotaph where the pro-Palestine marchers are banned as a result of the former’s "sole purpose and their intention is to protect the sanctity of the Cenotaph and Remembrance. So I don’t anticipate there will be any disorder from that group."

Director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), Ben Jamal, who is also the lead organizer of the march, relayed his understanding that people would be coming from all over the UK to march on Saturday towards the US embassy in Nine Elms.

Appearances and speeches are expected to be made by Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader, actors Juliet Stevenson and Maxine Peake, and the head of the Palestinian mission to the UK, Husam Zomlot, alongside many others.

"We think it is going to be huge," Jamal said, as the PSC stated, "More than 500,000 people are expected to converge in London, making it one of the largest political marches in British history."

The Met stated that protesters are not allowed to close the US embassy, nor the Israeli embassy in Kensington. Anyone who does not disperse from key central London locations such as Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus could be arrested. 

Marchers will also not be allowed near Whitehall, Horse Guards Parade and the Westminster Abbey Field of Remembrance.

'Absolutely ruthless'

Chris Nineham of Stop the War organized a similar protest back on February 15, 2003 for an anti-war protest against the invasion of Iraq during which an estimated 1.5 million people marched on the streets of London. 

Nineham said, "This will be far and away the biggest of these series of demonstrations. I know it’s going to be a lot bigger than that. Just one coach agency in the north of England has booked 250 coaches for the demo. That’s just one agency."

This comes as the British Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, has accused London's Metropolitan Police of "playing favorites" for not cracking down on pro-Palestine protests, while Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is increasing pressure on police to ban Saturday's protest. 

Sunak added that he would hold Metropolitan Police commissioner Mark Rowley "accountable" for approving this Saturday's protest in solidarity with Palestine.

Rowley, declared that his forces will be "absolutely ruthless" during pro-Palestine protests, but said prosecutions would only happen when the law is broken.

  • pro-Palestine protest
  • Palestine
  • Israel
  • Rishi Sunak
  • United Kingdom
  • Gaza

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS