Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has approved a police request to ban the annual al-Quds Day march in London, citing the need to prevent serious public disorder. The Metropolitan Police raised concerns about the risk of violence given the scale of the protest and multiple counter-protests, particularly in the context of the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The march, organised by the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), has drawn criticism for apparent support of the Iranian regime. Past participants have waved flags of Hezbollah, a UK-proscribed terrorist group. The Met noted previous marches resulted in arrests for supporting terrorist organisations and antisemitic hate crimes.
Mahmood stated that a static demonstration could proceed under strict conditions, and she expects the full force of the law to be applied to anyone spreading hatred. The IHRC condemned the ban as politically motivated and said it is seeking legal advice, insisting the march is always peaceful.
This is the first time a protest march has been banned in the UK since 2012. The Met said the decision was based on a risk assessment of this specific event, adding that it will impose strict conditions on any static protest that takes place instead.
