More than 70 arrests made at Palestine protest as police ban campaigners from marching close to synagogue

18 January 2025, 15:10 | Updated: 19 January 2025, 07:34

77 people have been arrested in pro-Palestine protests in central London - after police said some demonstrators who broke through their lines ignored orders to disperse.

Thousands gathered for the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) rally in Whitehall on Saturday - ahead of a planned ceasefire in Gaza coming into effect on Sunday.

Some of those arrested were taken into custody on suspicion of breaching conditions put in place for the protest. One of the conditions prevented anyone involved from entering a specific area around Portland Place.

Some demonstrators moved from Whitehall into Trafalgar Square - in breach of those conditions - and the Metropolitan Police asked them to leave or risk arrest.

Read more: Palestine protesters hit out after police block London march from starting near synagogue

Read more: 'Without Gaza peace the Middle East could collapse', Qatari spokesman tells LBC ahead of ceasefire

A masked protester wearing a Celtic football tracksuit was seen being handcuffed by police and escorted away from the rally in Whitehall, with a large group following with megaphones and chanting: "Let him go."

Meanwhile, a woman was reportedly seen lying on the ground as a group of police officers appeared to be detaining her. This prompted a large crowd to surround the officers, shouting: "You're a disgrace", "shame on you" and "let her go".

Protesters could be seen holding signs that read "Gaza. Stop the massacre" and "Stop arming Israel".

A large group of people marched from Trafalgar Square holding a banner that read: "Labour, Tories, BBC. You show Russia's crimes but hide Israel's. Why?"

The protest comes after police restricted organisers' plans for a march past the BBC and close to a synagogue.

The Met said officers would be stationed near Broadcasting House after preventing plans by protesters targeting the BBC to gather in Portland Place.

Officers blocked the march around this location due to its proximity to a synagogue.

There was also a risk the protest may cause "serious disruption" to the Jewish holy day.

These issues led to the protest being changed to a static rally in Whitehall - before some demonstrators moved onto Trafalgar Square.

Commander Adam Slonecki, who led the policing operation, said: “It was so deeply disappointing to see a deliberate effort, involving organisers of the demonstration, to breach the conditions and attempt to march out of Whitehall.

"Officers responded bravely and decisively, ensuring they got no further than Trafalgar Square and certainly nowhere near their target".

The PSC criticised the Met's conditions as "repressive" while the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) criticised Scotland Yard's decision to block the march.

It said: "(This was) an outrageous assault on democracy, freedom of assembly, and freedom of expression.

"Silencing peaceful protesters who stand against genocide and in solidarity with the oppressed is not only undemocratic but shameful".

On Thursday, senior Conservative MP Bob Blackman condemned those who defy police orders by intentionally gathering outside a synagogue. He said anyone who does this should face the "full force of the law".

A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said: "It is shameful that the Met has refused to act on that threat all this time and is mustering a show of strength only now that it appears that the war might be ending".