Two people have been arrested on suspicion of shouting slogans calling for 'intifada' during a pro-Palestinian protest in London, police have confirmed. The arrests took place outside the Ministry of Justice in Westminster on Wednesday evening, bringing the total number of detainees at the demonstration to five, with others held for obstruction and public order offences.
The arrests came hours after the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police announced a change in approach, stating they would now arrest anyone chanting 'globalise the intifada' or displaying placards with the phrase. In a joint statement, Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and GMP Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson said the words and chants used in protests 'matter and have real-world consequences', citing recent violent attacks against Jewish people in Manchester and Sydney.
The police chiefs acknowledged that the Crown Prosecution Service had previously advised that many such phrases did not meet prosecution thresholds, but said the 'escalating threat context' had prompted a more assertive stance. They added: 'It is possible to protest in support of Palestinian people without intimidating Jewish communities or breaking the law.'
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which has organised the largest pro-Palestinian marches, condemned the move as 'political repression of protest for Palestinian rights'. Its director, Ben Jamal, argued that uttering the word 'intifada' was not a call for violence. The term, meaning 'uprising' in Arabic, has been used by Palestinians to refer to resistance against Israeli occupation, but is associated by many Israelis with violence, including suicide attacks.
Jewish groups welcomed the police announcement. The Community Security Trust described it as 'a necessary and important first step to turning back this tide of violent incitement'. However, the Campaign Against Antisemitism expressed frustration that it had taken two years for police to act on calls to 'globalise the intifada'. The CPS has not confirmed whether the new approach would hold up in court.
