Ahead of the annual Al-Quds Day demonstration in London next week, IHRC has written to the Metropolitan Police urging the force not to employ the heavy-handed methods that have characterised policing of pro-Palestine protests in the capital since October.

Thousands of protestors are expected to descend on London from all over the country on Friday April 5 for this year’s rally and march.

The turnout could be the biggest to date in the long history of the event in view of the continuing genocide in Gaza. Israeli forces have so far killed almost 33,000 civilians in Gaza, some 70% of them women and children. At the same time armed colonial settlers and troops are running amok in the occupied West Bank, invading, looting and attacking Palestinian towns and villages.

It has been evident since protests erupted last October that policing of pro-Palestine demonstrations in the capital has increasingly become politicised in response to government figures condemning and demonising protestors.

Indeed, the number of and type of arrests taking place attests to this surrender of operational independence. Protestors have been arrested on the flimsiest of pretexts such as carrying banners or sporting headbands carrying Arabic script.

The letter to Sir Mark Rowley states: “You will no doubt be aware that in the 40-plus years that the annual Al-Quds Day demonstration has taken place it has always been good natured and peaceful. Your own force has remarked on the peaceful, family-friendly nature of the event. For the safety of those who take part, we need to be assured that there will be no heavy-handedness or intimidation by police.”

The full letter can be read here.

This year’s event will start at the Home Office in central London at 3pm before proceeding to Downing Street.

Al-Quds Day is being supported by the following organisations:

Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission, Ahlulbayt Sisters Association, Black Lives Matter Coalition UK, CAMPAIN, Convivencia Alliance, Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!, Hands Off Uhuru Hands Off Africa, InMinds Human Rights Group, Islamic Human Rights Commission, Jewish Network for Palestine, Leeds University Palestine Solidarity Group, Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK, Neturei Karta, No2NATO, Palestine Pulse, Peacekeeper Trust, & Scotland Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Further details are available here.

IHRC is also continuing with the #FlyTheFlag and #boycottapartheid campaign which proved highly successful during the pandemic. This calls on freedom seeking people from around the world to raise the flag for Palestine from 1st April. People can fly the flag and promote #boycottapartheid outside their home, workplace, on their car, or wherever they find suitable. More information is available here.

For more information or comment please contact the Press Office on (+44) 208 904 0222  or (+44) 7958 522196 or email media@ihrc.org [ENDS]