Human Rights Campaigner Detained During Central London Protest
Prominent activist Peter Tatchell has been arrested during a pro-Palestine demonstration in central London after police took issue with a placard he was carrying. The 74-year-old human rights campaigner was detained by Metropolitan Police officers while participating in the Palestine Coalition protest on Saturday afternoon.
Controversial Slogan Sparks Police Intervention
The arrest centred on a sign carried by Mr Tatchell that read: "Globalise the intifada: Non-violent resistance. End Israel's occupation of Gaza & West Bank." According to the Peter Tatchell Foundation, which confirmed the arrest, officers claimed the word "intifada" was unlawful in this context.
In a statement released through his foundation, Mr Tatchell strongly criticised the police action, describing it as "an attack on free speech" and accusing officers of "over-reach" by making the word an arrestable offence. He emphasised that the Arabic term "intifada" means uprising or resistance and does not inherently imply violence or antisemitism.
Metropolitan Police Defends Arrest Policy
The Metropolitan Police had previously announced in December that protesters chanting "globalise the intifada" would face arrest following what they described as a "changed context" after the Bondi Beach terror attack. In a social media post, the force confirmed arresting a 74-year-old man on suspicion of a public order offence related to carrying a sign with those words.
According to witness accounts, Mr Tatchell had been marching with the placard clearly visible for approximately one mile from Russell Square to the Strand before encountering a counter-protest. Photographer Jacky Summerfield, who was accompanying him, reported seeing the activist "manhandled by 10 officers" at this point and prevented from further communication.
Additional Arrests During Tense Demonstrations
The protest saw thousands gather in Russell Square before marching towards Whitehall for a rally, with tensions heightened by the presence of opposing groups. Police confirmed two additional arrests at the same event on suspicion of showing support for a proscribed organisation, after officers spotted individuals carrying a banner referencing Palestine Action - a group banned by the Home Secretary last July.
A small counter-protest organised by the pro-Israel Stop The Hate group gathered near the march route in Aldwych, with opposing demonstrators kept separate by barriers and police lines. Meanwhile, United Kingdom Independence Party protesters assembled in nearby Trafalgar Square after being redirected from Whitechapel over concerns about potential clashes.
Multiple Detentions as Crowds Dispersed
As the demonstrations wound down around 4:30pm, police made further arrests including a woman in Whitehall seen wearing a T-shirt bearing the same "Globalise the intifada" slogan. Scotland Yard confirmed a total of 15 arrests connected to the day's events: one from the counter-protest, thirteen from the Palestine Coalition protest, and one unrelated detention.
Mr Tatchell was taken to Sutton police station for processing following his arrest. The incident has reignited debates about protest rights, free speech boundaries, and police powers in managing politically charged demonstrations in the capital.
