Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators are expected to join a pro-Palestinian march in London Today, Saturday, it is a march that the Prime Minister criticized Rishi Sonak He described it as disrespectful, amid fears that it might spark violence on British Armistice Day.
Britain celebrates Armistice Day, the day it ended First World Warin honor of the memory of veterans.
Sunak explained that despite this, the protest must be allowed to go ahead, indicating that he would hold the London Police Chief responsible for protecting the anniversary events.
For their part, members of board of the Public They expressed concern that far-right groups would seek to use the occasion as a pretext for violence.
And the “National March for Palestine“It is the fourth to be organized in the British capital since the beginning of the military operation launched by the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (agitation) on Israel On October 7, but ministers said it should be canceled because it coincided with Armistice Day.
Strict procedures
For his part, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – former co-leader of the English Defense League, which organized often violent anti-Islam demonstrations – called on his supporters to gather in the capital.
The police said they would deploy about two thousand security personnel, and pledged to take strict measures against any disturbances caused by march participants or a counter-protest by right-wing opposition groups and war veterans.
“I believe that if the (different) groups come together, there will be serious disturbances,” said the Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police and the official in charge of following up on the marches.
He told reporters that “the police operation at the beginning of this week is huge,” adding that it will be “difficult and tense.”
Organizers of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign said that Saturday’s march will move away from the war memorial near Sunak’s office on Downing Street, and will conclude at the US embassy, about 3 kilometers away.
Exclusion zone
Police said they would impose an exclusion zone around areas linked to the anniversary events, while an unprecedented 24-hour police guard has been deployed at the memorial since Thursday.
Although previous marches for the Palestine Solidarity Campaign were generally peaceful, more than 100 people were arrested for crimes, including showing support for Hamas, which Britain classifies as a terrorist organization, or carrying banners bearing offensive slogans.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman, the minister responsible for the police, sparked controversy by describing the protests as “hate marches”, while Sunak came under pressure from MPs from his own party to sack her after she accused the police of double standards over how they dealt with the “mob”.
Source link
