Met police step in to cease clashes at pro-Palestine protest
Met Police officers were forced to break up clashes between pro-Palestine activists and counter-protesters today as tempers flared following the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Thousands of pro-Palestine protesters packed out London‘s Trafalgar Square, two days after Israeli forces confirmed they had successfully eliminated Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7 attacks.
A group of at least four counter-demonstrators standing under the entrance to the National Gallery sparked a wave of anger from the crowds as they held up a banner stating, ‘Hezbollah like Hamas is also a Terrorist Organization’.
One of the counter-protesters called the Pro-Palestinian activists ‘terrorist supporters’ and chanted ‘Hamas are terrorists’ over her megaphone.
As a crowd gathered around the counter-protesters, Met Police officers intervened by putting themselves in between the two hostile groups.
Thousands of pro-Palestine protesters packed out Trafalgar Square in London on Saturday afternoon
Protesters held up placards which said ‘Gaza, stop the massacre’ and ‘Stop arming Israel’
Protesters spent around two hours in Trafalgar Square, listening to speeches and chanting for a ceasefire in Gaza
The architect of the October 7 massacre and Israel ‘s most wanted man, Yahya Sinwar was killed on Wednesday after being hunted by intelligence services and the Israeli Defence Forces for over a year. Pictured: Sinwar in December 2022
One pro-Palestine activist attempted to drown out the anti-Hamas chanting and drive off the counter-protestors using a siren on his own megaphone.
The Metropolitan Police estimated that around 3,500 protestors gathered under Nelson’s Column to protest.
Over the two-hour demonstration, protesters occupying the square chanted the controversial slogan ‘From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free’. Some say this is a chant which means Israel should not exist.
Others included ‘Keir Starmer, David Lammy shame on you’.
Vile signs were also on display, including one which said ‘burn the zionist? Sanctions now.’ Other chants included ‘victory to the intifada’.
As well as filling out Trafalgar Square, many activists also demonstrated outside Downing Street. The Met Police also had to deploy officers to Tower Bridge at around 6pm after pro-Palestine protesters blocked traffic.
Speakers at the rally included the left-wing comedian Alexei Sayle and Fran Heathcote, the General Secretary of the civil service’s trade union, PCS.
Popular placards held by the protesters called upon the government to ‘Stop arming Israel’ and for ‘Hands off Lebanon’.
After protesters spilled out of Trafalgar Square, some moved to Tower Bridge where they blocked traffic
Over the two-hour demonstration, protesters occupying the square chanted the controversial slogan ‘From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free’
As a crowd gathered around the counter-protestors, Met Police officers put themselves in between the two hostile groups
The Metropolitan Police estimated that around 3,500 protestors gathered under Nelson’s Column to protest
Despite the testy interactions with counter-demonstrators, the protest remained largely peaceful with the Met confirming no arrests were made.
An update at around 5.30pm said: ‘Crowds have now cleared from both Trafalgar Square and Whitehall. A police presence remains locally to ensure the continued safety of all of those in the vicinity.’
The protests come as Israel confirmed on Thursday that Hamas leader Sinwar had been killed in North Gaza.
Sir Keir Starmer said the UK ‘will not mourn’ the death of Sinwar. He said: ‘As the leader of the terrorist group Hamas, Yahya Sinwar was the mastermind behind the deadliest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust, as 1,200 people were slaughtered in Israel.
Protesters and counter-protesters had to be separated by police as tempers flared in Trafalgar Square
Thousands of protesters were waving Palestinian flags or holding placards calling for a ceasefire
Controversial placards were on display, including this one which said ‘Israel is a racist, apartheid, terror state’
Protesters listen to speeches at the rally in support of Palestine and Lebanon in Trafalgar Square
Israel has killed more than 42,000 Palestinians and destroyed much of the Gaza Strip during the year-long war
Thousands attend a rally in support of Palestine and Lebanon in Trafalgar Square on Saturday
The latest protest came as the war rages on in Gaza, with the Hamas leader killed earlier this week
The protesters said the UK was ‘complicit in starvation and burning people alive’
Protesters holding Palestinian and Lebanese flags gather at Trafalgar Square stage
Protesters listen to speeches at the rally in support of Palestine and Lebanon
Writer and comedian Alexei Sayle addresses the protest in support of Palestine and Lebanon in Trafalgar Square
‘Today my thoughts are with the families of those victims. The UK will not mourn his death.
‘The release of all hostages, an immediate ceasefire and an increase in humanitarian aid are long overdue so we can move towards a long-term, sustainable peace in the Middle East.’
Israel has killed more than 42,000 Palestinians and destroyed much of the Gaza Strip during the year-long war.
Mr Sinwar’s death is a crippling blow to Hamas, but the group has proven resilient after losses of previous leaders.
He became the overall leader of Hamas in July after his predecessor Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an apparent Israeli strike in the Iranian capital Tehran.
Tel Aviv said Mr Sinwar was killed on Wednesday in Gaza, with Israeli leaders presenting his death as a turning point in the country’s campaign against Hamas.
