On Saturday, tens of thousands of demonstrators marched through London under the banner of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza and urging the UK government to cease arms sales to Israel. The protest, which convened at Parliament Square, saw around 80,000 participants chanting “free Palestine” and displaying signs calling for peace.

A smaller pro-Israel counter-protest also occurred at Aldwych, where some arrests were made for public order offences. The event included a speech by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who expressed condemnation of the violence in Gaza and echoed the calls to halt UK arms sales to Israel.

The Metropolitan Police managed the demonstration with nearly 1,000 officers deployed, ensuring separation between pro-Palestinian groups and a concurrent rally by the pro-Israel contingent. This precaution was taken amidst a backdrop of heightened tensions, evidenced by an incident where a pro-Palestine protester was captured on video making a threatening gesture towards Israeli supporters.

Alongside the major protests, a demonstration by the right-wing group, Turning Point UK, also took place, with police efforts focused on minimizing disruptions and maintaining public safety.

Despite the peaceful intent of the majority of protesters, there were minor clashes and a total of nine arrests for public order offences. The incidents of confrontation and the execution of police duties during these exchanges have sparked debate surrounding the effectiveness of law enforcement during such heated protests.

The protests reflect ongoing public concern over the Israel-Gaza conflict, which has reportedly resulted in significant Palestinian casualties, and continue to raise questions about the balance between freedom of expression and public safety in handling potentially contentious rallies.