Pro-Palestinian protesters have shut down London today as they took to the streets waving placards and chanting.
Hundreds of thousands of protesters are thought to have taken part in today’s demonstration which gathered at the BBC’s headquarters on Portland Place at midday.
From there they marched through Regent Street, Haymarket and Piccadilly before gathering in Whitehall for speeches at about 2pm.
The demonstrations are the first to be held in the UK since the UN’s international court of justice ordered Israel to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide in Gaza.
In a statement today the Metropolitan Police said the protests had gone ahead in a largely peaceful manner with just a few arrests.
The statement read: “The vast majority of those joining protests have done so in a lawful and peaceful way but a minority have broken the law and arrests have been made.
“Officers arrested a woman on suspicion of setting off a smoke bomb or flare. A second woman was arrested under section 18 of the Public Order Act. She is accused of chanting slogans that may incite racial hatred.”
Banners and placards ranged from “Zionists control the media” to “end the killing” and “boycott Israel”.
Police had faced criticism in the build-up to the event for asking protesters to remove their non-religious face coverings so that they could be identified.
Anti-war campaigners said the move was an attempt to “intimidate” protesters.
Chris Nineham, the vice-chair of Stop the War, told the Guardian: “This is yet another example of the police attempting to criminalise Palestine protests and in the process chipping away at civil liberties.
“They are deliberately trying to raise tensions and to create the impression that people marching for peace and an end to genocide are a threat to society. It’s an absolute disgrace.”
The rally is due to finish at 5.30pm when all speeches must end.
