London’s Metropolitan Police charged 10 individuals with public order offences after a pro-Palestinian protest in the city led to the arrest of over 70 people on Saturday. The protest, which aimed to demonstrate solidarity with Palestine, saw clashes as some participants allegedly breached conditions set for the rally, including its static nature.
Police stated that there was a coordinated effort to breach the protest perimeter, which led to the arrests. Of the 77 people arrested, 24 were released on bail, while 48 remain in custody. The organisers of the demonstration, however, denied any premeditated attempt to break the rules and accused the police of using heavy-handed tactics.
Among those charged is Christopher Nineham, the vice-chair of the Stop the War Coalition (SWC), a key organiser of the protest. The SWC condemned the arrest, claiming it was unnecessary and violent. They described the police actions as a direct attack on freedom of assembly and democracy, emphasizing that there had been no organised violation of the protest’s conditions.
Police continue to review CCTV footage and social media videos to identify further criminal activities, promising more arrests and charges if necessary.
