Home Secretary grants police request to ban Al Quds Day march in London
It had been set to take place on Sunday.
The Home Secretary has authorized the Metropolitan Police to prohibit a pro-Palestinian march in London, citing concerns about potential serious public disorder associated with the event.
The annual Al Quds Day march, initially set for Sunday, received criticism due to apparent support for Iran's late leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei from the organisers. Several counter-protests had also been planned.
Shabana Mahmood, announcing her decision, stated, "I'm satisfied doing so is necessary to prevent serious public disorder, due to the scale of the protest and multiple counter-protests, in the context of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East."
She emphasized the importance of upholding the law, adding that police would apply strict conditions to any stationary demonstrations.
The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), responsible for organizing the protest, condemned the decision, labeling it a politically charged action lacking evidence for enforcement.
Despite the ban, the organization confirmed that a "static protest" would proceed, indicating their intent to seek legal advice over the determination.
Asserting their stance, the IHRC criticized the police's abandonment of impartiality, framing it as a departure from traditional policing principles.
Authorities highlighted previous Al Quds Day marches had resulted in arrests related to terrorist support and antisemitic hate crimes.
The Metropolitan Police clarified their decision stems from risk assessments regarding the specific protests and counter-protests, rather than an ideological stance.
Underlining the "uniquely complex" international conditions and "severe" risks involved, police outlined their strategy, placing "strict conditions" on any static demonstration considering potential confrontations.
The decision arises alongside calls from several MPs to cancel the march due to associations with hostile entities.
Opposition voices remain, with IHRC spokesman Faisal Bodi criticizing the ban as contrary to principles of freedom of expression and assembly.
This marks the first banned protest march since 2012, amid varied responses from the public and political spheres.