Pro-Palestine marches to go ahead despite PM and police bosses’ calls to cancel

Pro-Palestine marches are set to go ahead in Manchester and London despite Sir Keir Starmer and police bosses calling for organisers to reconsider in the aftermath of two people being killed in a terror attack at a synagogue.

The Prime Minister had urged groups behind the demonstrations and attendees to “respect the grief of British Jews” as he said demonstrations could cause further pain to mourners.

However a protest in central London campaigning against the proscription of Palestine Action will go ahead.

The organisers, Defend Our Juries, said: “Cancelling peaceful protests lets terror win.”

Meanwhile a similar event held by Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine, which has taken place regularly in the last two years, is also due to happen.

It was referenced by members of the public who heckled Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy when he spoke at a vigil near the attack on Friday.

The Prime Minister was among politicians, including Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who said the protests should be delayed or cancelled.

Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar said he had spoken to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and urged the Government to “fight the pro-Palestinian marches and protests”.

The leaders of the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police had said covering protests would stretch resources.

Police forces have deployed extra officers to synagogues and other Jewish buildings to offer protection and reassurance in the aftermath of the attack.

However Defend Our Juries rejected the calls.

A spokesman said the group “stood in solidarity” with the Jewish community over the attack.

He said: “It couldn’t be clearer that tomorrow’s action, which is in Trafalgar Square and not near any synagogue, is about defying the Government’s absurdly authoritarian proscription of Palestine Action and the Government’s complicity in the genocide being committed by the Israeli government.

“Yesterday’s attack was actual terrorism and we join others across the country in condemning it unreservedly and we urge the Home Secretary and the police to prioritise protecting the community, instead of arresting entirely peaceful protesters.

“Cancelling peaceful protests lets terror win.

“It’s more important than ever to defend our democracy, including our fundamental rights to peaceful protest and freedom of speech, and to take a stand tomorrow against killing and against oppression, and for peace and justice for all.”

Sir Keir had said events could cause further turmoil for families of victims and the Jewish communities.

Writing in The Jewish Chronicle, and The Jewish News, the Prime Minister said: “I urge anyone thinking about protesting this weekend to recognise and respect the grief of British Jews this week.

“This is a moment of mourning. It is not a time to stoke tension and cause further pain.”

Meanwhile the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Sir Stephen Watson urged would-be attendees at the protest to “consider whether this is really the right time”.

He added: “You could do the responsible and sensitive thing and refrain, on this occasion, from protesting in a manner which is likely to add to the trauma currently being experienced by our Jewish community.”

Around 1,500 people, “including priests, vicars, pensioners and healthcare workers”, are expected to attend the protest in Trafalgar Square on Saturday.

Pro-Palestine protests in central London have seen thousands attend since Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023.

A demonstration near Downing Street on Thursday saw 40 people arrested after clashes with police.

Six arrests were “for assaults on police officers”, the Metropolitan Police said.

The proscription of Palestine Action has become a focal point of the campaign for activists in recent months.

The previous two events have seen a total of 1,422 people arrested, the majority for supporting a proscribed organisation.

The Met has continued to urge the group to call off its plans, in a statement which echoed the earlier sentiments of Ms Mahmood.

In a statement, the force’s Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “At a time when we want to be deploying every available officer to ensure the safety of those communities, we are instead having to plan for a gathering of more than 1,000 people in Trafalgar Square on Saturday in support of a terrorist organisation.

“By deliberately choosing to encourage mass law breaking on this scale, Defend Our Juries are drawing valuable resources away from the communities of London at a time when they are needed most.”

He added: “Continuing such protests within hours of Thursday’s awful terrorist murder of British Jews, when communities are most fearful, will likely create further tensions and some might say lacks sensitivity.”

Sir Stephen urged protesters in Manchester to reconsider.

The Chief Constable said: “I am directly appealing to all those who might be intending to protest this weekend to consider whether this is really the right time.

“You could do the responsible and sensitive thing and refrain, on this occasion, from protesting in a manner which is likely to add to the trauma currently being experienced by our Jewish community.”

He added: “I would call upon the common decency and humanity of all people across Greater Manchester to aid us in seeking to support our Jewish communities following such a horrific attack.”