The Metropolitan police are threatening to put obstacles in the way of this Saturday’s ‘Stop the Genocide, Ceasefire Now’ demonstration.
For over 3 months people have been attending protests in London calling for a ceasefire to end Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Those marching in unprecedented number have been vindicated by the decision of the ICJ to accept that there is a plausible case that Israel is committing genocide.
This Saturday, as with previous protests, and because of the anticipated numbers, we informed the police on Monday that we would finish with two stages, one in Trafalgar Square and one in Whitehall.
Despite the fact that this arrangement has worked well on several of our previous marches, the police have so far not given permission. No reasonable rationale was given.
Not having a second stage risks serious overcrowding in Trafalgar Square and most protestors not reaching the endpoint of the demonstration, leading to heavy congestion in Regents Street and Piccadilly.
If we are not allowed access to Whitehall, it would also mean that days after the British government defied the ruling of the International Court of Justice on Israeli genocide, people would not be able to protest outside Downing Street.
We have written to the police urging them to reconsider, to agree to our request for a second stage and to accept that we have the right to march to the seat of government.
Statement on behalf of: Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Friends of Al-Aqsa, Stop the War Coalition, Muslim Association of Britain, Palestinian Forum in Britain and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament