Fury as Met forcibly take away anti-Hamas protester from Palestine demo

The Metropolitan Police has sparked fury after video was launched displaying officers forcibly eradicating a demonstrator who was attacked by a pro-Palestine mob for calling Hamas terrorists.

Niyak Ghorbani had bottles, soil and different objects thrown at him by indignant protesters after holding up an indication calling Hamas a ‘terrorist organisation’ as tens of 1000’s of pro-Palestine activists marched on the Israeli Embassy in London yesterday.

Shocking footage shared on social media yesterday confirmed the anti-Hamas protester being attacked, with some members of the gang making an attempt to hit him with planks of wooden.

Now additional video has come to gentle displaying him being led away by two officers moments later, whereas Mr Ghorbani himself says he was threatened with being arrested if he continued protesting. 

The Iranian dissident claimed he was ‘violently grabbed’ by one of many officers and questioned: ‘Is arrest a justifiable risk for talking the reality?’

Writing on X (previously often called Twitter) as we speak, he stated: ‘While following the police’s recommendation to gather placards and transfer away from the realm, this particular person violently grabbed my hand and threatened that if I returned there, they might arrest me! Is arrest a justifiable risk for talking the reality?!’

It got here moments after Mr Ghorbani held a lone counter-demonstration whereas holding a placard which learn: ‘Please do not assault me! Do you agree; Hamas is terrorist organisation, sure or sure?’

The placard drew a livid response from some pro-Palestine activists who threw objects thrown in the direction of him, and tried to hit him and seize the placard from his grasp.

Other had been seen shouting ‘w****r’, with chants of ‘Free, Free Palestine‘ aimed in the direction of him. Some activists are seen urging these infuriated by the signal to stroll away, whereas two safety personnel had been seen attempting to calm tensions.

Mr Ghorbani later wrote on X: ‘Again and once more… If they aren’t supporters of Hamas, why do they get upset when Hamas is labelled as terrorist?’

In a press release launched earlier than the brand new footage of Mr Ghorbani being led away got here to gentle, the Met stated: ‘We’re conscious of the video that has been shared on-line.

‘It has been lower within the center but it surely seems officers intervened and spoke to the person who was having gadgets thrown at him.

‘If the person wished to make any allegations the officers will doc that and additional enquiries will comply with.’

MailOnline has contacted the Met for additional remark.

It got here 1000’s of individuals marched on the Israeli Embassy in London in a gathering, with the Metropolitan Police confirming final evening it had arrested 12 folks for a string of alleged offences following the protest.

One girl arrested for holding an indication saying ‘Long Live the Intifada’, whereas there have been additionally arrests on suspicion of inciting racial hatred and assaulting emergency employees.

The pressure stated the ‘overwhelming majority’ of people that took half had been peaceable and acted lawfully throughout the march, which was organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign in protest on the ongoing battle in Gaza.

Protesters met on the south of Park Lane, holding banners calling for a ‘ceasefire now’ and chanting ‘free, free Palestine’, earlier than leaving for designated place close to the Israeli embassy the place speeches had been made.

Among the audio system was former Labour chief Jeremy Corbyn and Palestinian ambassador to the UK Husam Zomlot, who each referred to as for ‘justice’ for the Palestinian folks.

Organisers had stated earlier than the demonstration that they anticipated between 200,000 and 250,000 folks to attend.

Just earlier than 6.30pm on Saturday the Met posted on X, previously Twitter: ‘Today’s protest has now totally concluded.

‘There had been 12 arrests for placard associated offences, assaults on officers and refusal to take away face coverings. Thankfully, not one of the officers who had been assaulted had been critically injured.

‘Despite these arrests, the overwhelming majority who took half had been peaceable and acted solely with the legislation. We labored carefully with the organisers and their stewarding workforce within the run as much as and throughout the protest and we’re grateful for his or her cooperation.’

The pressure had imposed Section 60, 60AA and 35 orders, giving police extra powers, however they’ve been withdrawn and the Met stated the orders are ‘now not required’.

Police first arrested a lady on suspicion of help for a proscribed organisation, after she was allegedly noticed with a signpost which learn ‘Long Live The Intifada’.

Later, whereas arresting a person for carrying an anti-Semitic banner, a punchup broke out during which officers had been assaulted – main to 6 extra arrests.

Two additional arrests had been made in opposition to demonstrators who refused to take away their face coverings.

Other marchers, a few of them youngsters, carried placards declaring ‘I believed Hitler was useless’ and ‘Turns out killing children is okay, I’m scared for my life’.

Besides the acquainted chant of ‘From the river to the ocean, Palestine will likely be free,’ one other rallying cry was ‘Occupation no extra, Israel is a terror state’.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign earlier predicted it anticipated over 200,000 1000’s folks to affix within the rally, which was supported by the Stop The War Coalition and Socialist Worker newspaper.

The Met police posted on X that the incident involving a punchup occurred at Hyde Park Corner.

The pressure wrote: ‘A person was seen within the crowd with an antisemitic placard. He has been arrested for inciting racial hatred.

‘When officers went in to arrest him they had been assaulted, leading to six arrests for assaulting an emergency employee.

‘Two different folks had been arrested for refusing to take away face coverings when required to take action by officers below Section 60AA of the Public Order Act.

The Metropolitan Police stated the beginning time of 1.30pm allowed time for a synagogue occasion to complete. The march started at Marble Arch at 1.30pm, earlier than heading down Park Lane, then Knightsbridge and Kensington Road

A spokesman for the pressure stated: ‘This is the primary time since a rally on October 9 that protest organisers have determined to carry an indication within the neighborhood of the Israeli Embassy.

‘However, although protesters will likely be nearer to the embassy than in current months, the identical exclusion zone that has been in place since mid-October will apply.

‘Participants within the protest will likely be stored greater than 100m away from the embassy grounds, behind limitations managed by officers. They won’t be permitted to enter the realm marked in crimson on the map under and anybody doing so faces arrest.’

The Campaign Against Antisemitism complained that organisers marketed a begin time of 12.30pm – however police acknowledged this was the assembly time for protesters and they might not be allowed to start out marching for an additional hour.

The CAS stated: ‘In earlier weeks, the marches have included folks supporting Hamas and brazenly flaunting their anti-Jewish racism, and congregants leaving synagogue needed to stroll by them.’

Saturday’s protest was solely the second to happen close to the Israeli Embassy since October 7 final 12 months.

Hundreds of protesters gathered exterior the Embassy constructing on October 9 – simply two days after Hamas’ terror assault. Clashes occurred between rival teams of pro-Israeli and pro-Palestine demonstrators at close by High Street Kensington station.

‘An actual threat of great dysfunction’ adequate for the Met to request that the Home Secretary ban the protest has not been seen at current demonstrations and isn’t anticipated as we speak, the Met added.

The pressure stated all officers would ‘be briefed to be looking out for offensive placards and banners’ and police groups would monitor CCTV of the demonstration because it occurs.

Commander Kyle Gordon, who led the policing operation, stated earlier than the march: ‘We are there to make sure protests happen lawfully, minimising disruption to the lifetime of the broader public and in a approach that offers due consideration to the cumulative impression on London’s communities and people who really feel most susceptible within the present local weather.

‘The protests now we have seen since October have fortunately been largely peaceable and we should take this into consideration in our policing strategy.

‘I hope the identical will likely be true this Saturday.

‘Unfortunately, regardless of this, now we have frequently seen officers having to take care of offences associated to placards and different hate speech.

‘We don’t underestimate the concern this causes, nor the impression of such felony and unacceptable behaviour on wider group relations.

‘I’d enchantment to all these attending the protest on Saturday to behave throughout the legislation and to think about the impression of their actions on the security and safety of others. We won’t hesitate to take motion in opposition to those that fail to take action.’

At least 28,663 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel started its navy operation within the strip in October in response to the October 7 assaults, the place militants killed some 1,200 folks and took one other 250 hostage.

Israel is being urged to not ship floor forces into Rafah on the Egyptian border, the place most of the strip’s residents are actually residing after areas nearer to their properties turned engulfed by combating.