A Pro-Palestine march planned for central London has been cancelled, with demonstrators instead taking part in a static protest at Whitehall.
A bitter row had previously broken out between the Met Police and Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) over proposals for the large pro-Palestine march to take place outside the BBC headquarters at Portland Place, with the force insisting that a protest there would risk “serious disruption” at a nearby synagogue.
The police had been in discussions with the PSC as well as community groups for weeks about plans for a march from Portland Place to Whitehall.
The Met said it had carefully considered the views of a congregation of a synagogue a short distance from the form-up point in Portland Place and that it had taken into account the “cumulative impact of a prolonged period of protest” often on Saturdays – the Jewish holy day – and often in close proximity to synagogues.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan told reporters: “We know that this has been a cause of increased concern for many Jewish Londoners who have had to alter their plans, avoided parts of central London and reduced attendance at religious services.
“On Tuesday last week we wrote to the PSC to inform them that in our view a protest forming up close to a synagogue on Saturday, the Jewish holy day, when people are attending Shabbat services risks causing serious disruption.”
Earlier this week the Met had blocked plans for the Pro-Palestine march and used its powers under the Public Order Act to prevent the PSC from gathering outside Broadcasting House and on surrounding streets. The conditions will remain in place on Saturday.
Mr Adelekan added: “It is important to declare that this decision was nothing to do with the BBC. If the PSC want to protest outside the BBC on a different day when serious disruption will not be caused we are very happy to work with them.”
In response to the earlier measures, the PSC had revealled plans for its route to take place in the opposite direction, ending outside the BBC. However, the Met insisted that would still risk serious disruption.
Mr Adelelkan continued: “We wrote to the PSC informing them that we will be unable to agree on an acceptable route.
“We have imposed conditions on an entirely new route. Those conditions set out that any protest march must form up at Russell Square before following a route via Kingsway, the Aldwych, and the Strand ending up in Whitehall where a static assembly will take place.
“This morning at a meeting with officers the PSC informed us that they will now alter their plans. There will be no march.”
The police spokesman explained that the PSC now intends to protest in Whitehall between 12pm and 4.30pm.
More to follow.