Al Quds Day Protests in London

Twelve arrests were made during an Al Quds Day protest and counter-protest in central London on Sunday. Hundreds attended static protests after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood approved a police request to ban the annual march over fears of public disorder.

The arrests included showing support for a proscribed organisation, dangerous driving, threatening or abusive behaviour, and chanting at the Al Quds Day rally. Lambeth Bridge remained closed on Sunday afternoon, with around 1,000 officers deployed to keep both groups apart.

Protesters waved Iranian flags and held placards reading 'Choose the right side of history.' Some demonstrators chanted 'from the river to the sea' and carried pictures of late Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Organisers described it as a pro-Palestinian protest, but police said those behind the demonstration support the Iranian regime.

At the counter-protest on the north bank of the River Thames, various groups gathered, including Stop The Hate, a Jewish-led organisation campaigning against antisemitism. Some people waved Israeli flags and carried signs reading 'Hamas is terrorist'.

The protests were static after Mahmood approved a request by the Metropolitan Police for a month-long ban on the annual march organised by the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC). This power was last used in 2012. The Met said its assessment was that a static protest would be easier to police and 'prevent the two sides from coming together'.

Chants of 'Israel is a terror state' were also heard at the Al-Quds rally, which takes place annually on the final Friday of Ramadan in solidarity with Palestinians. This year's event was held on Sunday as Friday was a regular workday.