The Home Secretary has granted a request from the Metropolitan Police to ban thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters from marching through central London this Sunday for the annual Al Quds Day demonstration.
Shabana Mahmood said she was satisfied the ban is “necessary to prevent serious public disorder, due to the scale of the protest and multiple counter-protests, in the context of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East”.
What is Al Quds Day?
Al Quds Day is an international event held each year to express solidarity with Palestine.
It was established in 1979, shortly after the Iranian Revolution, by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Iran’s first supreme leader.
Al Quds Day is named after the Arabic name for Jerusalem and usually takes place on the last Friday of Ramadan.
On Al Quds Day, protests and rallies are held in various countries around the world.
Who organises the event in the UK?
According to the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), the London rally is organised by the UK Al-Quds Committee.
It said the committee involves organisations among which the IHRC is “prominent”.
Set up in 1997, the IHRC describes itself as a non-profit organisation that “struggles for justice for all peoples regardless of their racial, confessional or political background”.
The organisation said Al Quds Day “offers a platform for all those who stand for justice, against colonialism, oppression and apartheid to come together to be the voice of victims”.
Why has the Al Quds Day march drawn criticism previously?
The march in London has drawn criticism in the past over apparent backing for the Iranian regime after its organisers expressed support for the country’s late leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
It is said that participants at the march previously flew flags of the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group and brandished signs with allegedly antisemitic messages.
The Metropolitan Police said previous Al Quds Day marches have resulted in arrests for supporting terrorist organisations and antisemitic hate crimes.
Why has it been banned this year?
The Metropolitan Police said the 2026 Al Quds Day march raises “unique risks and challenges”.
In a statement, it referred to the “likely impact on protests of the volatile situation in the Middle East, with the Iranian regime attacking British allies and military bases overseas”.
The force said it must also consider the fact that security services have been clear about the threats the UK is facing from the Iranian regime.
It added that placing conditions on the protest would not be sufficient to prevent it from resulting in “serious public disorder”.
Announcing her decision to ban the march, Ms Mahmood said there is a “greater potential for conflict” at marches for Al Quds Day in London as a result of the ongoing conflict in Iran.
Ms Mahmood’s decision marks the first time a protest march has been banned since 2012.
What has the IHRC said about the ban?
In a statement on the organisation’s website, the IHRC said it “strongly condemns” the decision to ban the Al Quds Day march.
The organisation said it is “seeking legal advice”, adding that the “decision will not go unchallenged”.
It said that a “static” protest will still go ahead on Sunday and that “all preparations must continue as planned”.
