Two people have been arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest in London after shouting “slogans involving calls for intifada”.
The Metropolitan Police said the pair were arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated public order offences at the demonstration on Wednesday evening.
A third person was arrested for obstructing the previous arrests, the force added.
The protest took place outside the Ministry of Justice building in Westminster hours after the Met and Greater Manchester Police announced that anyone chanting “globalise the intifada” would be arrested because the “context has changed” in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack.
The heads of the forces warned officers would “act decisively and make arrests”, adding that the measures were designed to “deter intimidation”.
In the rare joint statement issued on Wednesday, Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and GMP Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson said: “We know communities are concerned about placards and chants such as ‘globalise the intifada’, and those using it at future protests or in a targeted way should expect the Met and GMP to take action.
“Violent acts have taken place, the context has changed – words have meaning and consequence.
“We will act decisively and make arrests.”
The UK’s chief rabbi welcomed the decision by two of the country’s biggest police forces as “an important step towards challenging the hateful rhetoric” seen on Britain’s streets.
Sir Ephraim Mirvis had this week called for a crackdown on hate speech, saying it had to be made clear that chants such as “globalise the intifada” are “unlawful”.
Sir Ephraim, who is on his way to Australia to meet those impacted by the Sydney shootings, said: “This announcement is a most welcome development, and an important step towards challenging the hateful rhetoric we have seen on our streets, which has inspired acts of violence and terror.”
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