London: Two arrested during pro-Palestine march in Trafalgar Square | UK News
Two women have been arrested ‘on suspicion of inciting racial hatred’ after a pro-Palestine demonstration in central London on Saturday.
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of the capital to call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war after communications in Gaza were knocked out for more than 24 hours.
Nine arrests were made, and the Metropolitan Police appealed for help to trace two more protesters.
It followed alleged chanting that referenced the Battle of Khaybar – a massacre of Jews in 628 by Islamic forces.
In an update earlier today, the force said: ‘After our appeal yesterday evening, two women have now been arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred in Trafalgar Square.
‘We would like to thank the public for their assistance in sharing our appeal and for reporting the incident at the time. The suspects remain in custody.’
Officers also followed up on reports that a pamphlet was being distributed along the route of the march that praised Hamas, the force confirmed on social media.
Follow Metro on WhatsApp to be the first to get all the latest news
Want to be the first to hear the world’s top stories? Metro.co.uk is now on WhatsApp sending updates and trending stories straight to your phone.
Join the Metro WhatsApp community for breaking news, juicy showbiz stories and must-watch videos from across our website.
We’ll send you updates all day long, so you never miss a story! You can have your say by taking part in polls and reacting to messages.
To join our Metro community, just follow these two easy steps.
Simply click on this link, select ‘Join Chat’ and you’re in!
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said today about 100 people had been arrested at demonstrations held since the Hamas’ incursion on Israel three weeks ago, adding that ‘many more’ arrests are expected in the near future.
He told Sky News that his officers are limited by legal definitions of extremism and arresting people without cause could risk ‘inflaming’ the situation with the protesters.
He said he would support a review into the legal definition of extremism and how it should be policed.
Levelling Up secretary Michael Gove is understood to have ordered officials to draw up a new official definition of extremism in a move designed to counter hate, including antisemitism.
Rallies have been taking place across the UK, including in Belfast, Manchester and Glasgow, to demand a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
Get your need-to-know
latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
