Tens of thousands of pro-Palestine protesters have gathered in central London for a march to mark two years of the war in Gaza.
Arrests have been made after a clash with counter-protesters, while several people carrying placards that read “We stand with Britain’s Jews” have been removed from the crowd.
Stalls were selling keffiyehs and outside Embankment station people were handing out placards that read “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, “it’s not a crime to act against genocide”, and “Starmer has blood on his hands, free Palestine”.
The demonstration comes as thousands of Palestinians began returning to their homes in Gaza following the withdrawal of Israeli forces after a US-brokered ceasefire came into effect on Friday.
A counter-protest organised by Stop The Hate is also taking place, at the junction of Aldwych and the Strand.
In a post on X (Twitter), police said a “small group” of counter-protesters had breached conditions by demonstrating at the form-up area of the pro-Palestine march, leading to a “scuffle between several individuals from the two groups”.
Officers separated those involved and made a “small number of arrests”, police said.
Another individual held a sign, decorated with the image of a bee in the Star of David, which read “It was never about Palestine, it was always about hate”.
A large stationary crowd of counter-protesters waving Israeli flags faced more than a hundred-thousand pro-Palestinian protesters passing from Waterloo Bridge onto the Strand.
A deafening loud speaker blared heavy rock music that included the lyrics “you can stick your Palestine up your hole”.
Shouts of “shame” and “free Palestine” came loudly from the pro-Palestine crowd gathered along Victoria Embankment.
The cheering crowd was led by a woman on a mobility scooter carrying a sign that said “Palestine. Freedom peace”, with a mannequin wearing a head-dress in the back.
Behind her walked a line of men and women in Palestine Solidarity Campaign hi-vis jacket, holding hands.
One of them was wearing a white T-shirt and skirt covered in red paint that said “no more blood sacrifice. Free Palestine. Your tax helps pay to bomb innocent civilians in Gaza”.
Your Party co-founder Jeremy Corbyn also walked at the front of the crowd across Westminster Bridge, helping to carry a large banner that said “national march. Free Palestine”.
He stayed silent as a woman on a megaphone led the “from the rivers to the sea” chant, but was seen chanting “Palestine will be free” after she shouted “Netanyahu you will see”.
Scotland Yard said it has imposed conditions on both demonstrations under the Public Order Act to “prevent serious disruption” and has set out specific areas that protesters can gather as well as a march route.
The pro-Palestinian protest is the 32nd national demonstration in support of Palestine since October 2023, according to organiser the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), and will see protesters march along Embankment before a rally in Whitehall.
Last weekend, the government announced that police would be given greater powers to restrict protests by allowing them to consider the “cumulative impact” of repeated demonstrations.
Home secretary Shabana Mahmood claimed repeated large-scale protests have caused “considerable fear” for the Jewish community.
The Metropolitan Police said it was aware of the plans, but that “at this time, the law remains unchanged”.
The government has also said it could launch a crackdown on some of the chants used at pro-Palestine protests.
Some consider the slogan “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” to be antisemitic as they believe it calls for the eradication of Israel.
Proponents of the chant claim they are calling for an end to conflict in Gaza and the West Bank.
Almost 500 people were arrested at last week’s protest, with the majority on suspicion of supporting the banned terror organisation Palestine Action.
