Hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters marched through London on Friday for the annual Al Quds Day, while pro-Israel supporters staged a counter-rally outside Parliament. The Metropolitan Police reported ten arrests during the demonstrations.
Around 1,000 activists gathered outside the Home Office before marching towards Downing Street, with some carrying signs reading 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free'. They later passed by a counter-protest in Parliament Square where dozens of pro-Israel supporters waved Israeli flags and chanted for the release of hostages held by Hamas.
Police said one man was arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred after an Israeli flag was burned near the stage in Richmond Terrace. Another man was arrested for making a homophobic remark, and a third for assaulting an emergency worker. Two men from the counter-protest were arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill as the pro-Palestine march passed.
Pro-Palestine protester Abid, 45, said: 'Our message to the government in the UK is to stop cooperating with a regime who's involved in a genocide... why can't our Government stop supplying them arms?' He added that the issue was 'not a religious issue, it's a human issue'.
Pro-Israel counter-protester Efim, 73, said participants in the Al Quds Day march were 'naive' or 'brainwashed', and insisted Hamas should release its hostages before any ceasefire. He questioned why some protesters wore masks, saying: 'If their cause is genuine, why are they covering their faces?'
Police also arrested one man for failing to comply with conditions requiring counter-protesters to remain in a designated area on Parliament Square. The Met confirmed the ten arrests on social media.
