A policing operation will take place this weekend covering a march organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC).
The PSC will hold their 18th protest since October 2023. There have been regular and significant numbers of protestors on the streets of London, which has had a cumulative impact on our communities. Each event requires substantial planning in the context of various events being held across the capital.
The Met’s goal has been to protect the lawful right to protest while minimising the impact of these events.
Ahead of this weekend, as with the previous 17, there has been significant negotiation and engagement with event organisers and those who will be impacted, including faith communities and local businesses.
This Saturday presents a unique picture, with two pre-existing annual events in Trafalgar and Parliament Square, likely to draw more than 20,000 people to the area. Businesses across central London, faith communities and transport partners have also raised concerns.
As such, conditions have been placed on the protest, including on the routes of marches, locations of assemblies, and start time.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said: “We understand the strength of feeling around conditions on protests and always work hard to strike the balance between minimising the disruption to the public, businesses and community groups with the right to peacefully protest.
“We have worked with the PSC for weeks to agree plans and made efforts to explain the number of challenges which form part of this decision-making process. We have negotiated with them around a number of proposed conditions and made several alternative offers.
“We fully appreciate the scale of the demonstrations, with participants attending from across the country, and recognise that a delay in start time may inconvenience people. However, these changes are necessary to balance the wider impact to those who live, work and visit London.”
Conditions
On Saturday 7, September 2024, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign are undertaking a procession starting in Regents Street St James and finishing in Kensington Road, where a rally with speeches will take place.
The Public Order Act gives police the power to impose conditions on a procession or assembly of two or more people who are deemed to have a common purpose.
