Five people were arrested in London during protests marking the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, as demonstrators clashed with police and counter-protesters.
The arrests took place at a "spontaneous protest" outside the Board of Deputies in Camden, with those detained accused of inciting racial hatred by allegedly shouting or chanting slogans calling for intifada.
Protests and counter-demonstrations
Wednesday marks three years since Hamas-led militants invaded Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking more than 250 others hostage.
Around 100 pro-Palestine protesters marched in London, chanting "free free Palestine" and "free the people, free the land". A group at the back of the march held a banner reading: "Holocaust survivor descendants against Gaza genocide".
Counter-protesters holding Israeli flags and placards reading "Stop the Gaza genolie" gathered by Russell Square. Shouts of "scumbags" were directed at the pro-Palestine protesters, who responded with chants of "Terrorist supporters off our streets".
Student rallies and backlash
Student pro-Palestine demonstrations took place despite calls for a ban or for the protests to be moved to a different date. A group calling themselves the University of London Coalition marched from King's College London in the Strand to University College London in Holborn.
Students linked to Queen Mary University of London were due to hold a rally near the campus in east London, while pro-Palestine rallies led by student societies were scheduled at Edinburgh and Glasgow universities on Wednesday afternoon.
The decision to march in support of Palestine on Wednesday has faced backlash, with Jewish student leaders calling the plans "outrageous".
Police statement and vigil
The Metropolitan Police said: "Earlier this morning, officers made arrests at a spontaneous protest outside the Board of Deputies in Camden. Five people were arrested for inciting racial hatred, involving allegedly shouting or chanting slogans calling for intifada. They remain in police custody. The protest in Camden has now ended."
The Board of Deputies of British Jews is expected to hold a vigil in Richmond Terrace, just off Whitehall, later on Wednesday.
