Ten arrested at pro-Palestine demonstration

Over 200,000 people attended the demonstration in London

The arrests were for a string of alleged offences, including inciting racial hatred, suspicion of support for a proscribed organisation in relation to a placard, and assaulting emergency workers.

Protesters met at the south of Park Lane, holding banners calling for a “ceasefire now” and chanting “free, free Palestine”, before leaving for designated place near the Israeli embassy where speeches would be made.

Among the speakers was Palestinian ambassador to the UK Husam Zomlot, who said: “Hang on to your anger, hang on to your enragement, hang on to your horror and use it, use it in the pursuit of justice.”

Before the march began at 1.30pm, the Metropolitan Police announced on X, formerly Twitter, that officers had arrested one person on suspicion of support for a proscribed organisation in relation to a placard.

About two hours later they tweeted: “Officers have made nine further arrests during an incident at Hyde Park Corner.

“A man was seen in the crowd with an antisemitic placard. He has been arrested for inciting racial hatred.

“When officers went in to arrest him they were assaulted, resulting in six arrests for assaulting an emergency worker.

“Two other people were arrested for refusing to remove face coverings when required to do so by officers under Section 60AA of the Public Order Act.”

The force explained that the Section 60AA order requires anyone wearing a face covering “for the purpose of concealing their identity” to remove it when asked to do so.

It is in force until 8pm in a designated area.

As a result of the incident at Hyde Park Corner, a Section 60 order is now in force in the same area until the same time, providing officers with additional search powers “to prevent further violence”, the Met added.

A Section 35 dispersal order is also now in place until 11pm, meaning anyone refusing a direction to leave the area can be arrested.

Published: 17/02/2024 by Radio NewsHub