The Metropolitan Police has imposed conditions on a large pro-Palestine march scheduled for Saturday in central London to prevent "serious disruption." The conditions have been placed under the Public Order Act on the National March for Palestine, organized by the Palestine Coalition ahead of Andy Burnham becoming Prime Minister on Monday.
March Details and Police Restrictions
Thousands of pro-Palestine protesters are expected to gather to call on Mr. Burnham to impose sanctions on Israel. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), one of the organizers, stated it wanted to "send a powerful message to the next Prime Minister to stand up for Palestine and take all possible action, including sanctions, to end Israel’s genocide."
The procession will form up in Russell Square, Camden, and march through Westminster to Whitehall, via Holborn and the Strand. It will start at 12:45 PM and must conclude by 5:30 PM, according to police. Anyone gathering ahead of the demonstration must remain in a designated shaded area until the procession starts and must leave by 1:00 PM.
Route and Assembly Requirements
Participants must follow a specified route. An assembly in Whitehall will host speeches, and attendees must remain in a designated shaded area, with the assembly concluding by 5:30 PM. Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters have participated in previous marches.
Peter Leary, PSC deputy director, said: "On Friday, Andy Burnham was confirmed as the next prime minister. Last week, he had to apologise and admit that the Government got it wrong. We didn’t need him to tell us because we have always known that it was the people, the millions who have steadfastly stood with Palestine, who got it right."
Call for Sanctions and Political Context
Mr. Leary added that Mr. Burnham wants to distance himself from Sir Keir Starmer’s response to Israel, stating: "If he really intends to break with Starmer’s disgraceful legacy, he must start by imposing wide-ranging sanctions against Israel including a full arms embargo and a total ban on all trade that aids or assists Israel’s violations of international law. Mass pressure by our solidarity movement has forced this apology. It is clear that only ongoing action will deliver real change."
Last week, Mr. Burnham said "my party didn’t get it right and I am sorry about that" and pledged to "strengthen our approach." He called for "measures to ban trade in goods with illegal settlements" and said the UK should be "clear in our criticism of what has happened in Gaza," while also condemning Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, and subsequent antisemitic violence in Britain. However, he stopped short of accusing Israel of genocide, stating there was "increasing evidence that war crimes appear to have been committed," but added it was ultimately a matter for international courts.
