IHRC has written to the Metropolitan Police Chief, Sir Mark Rowley, protesting the continuing arrests of pro-Palestinian demonstrators in the capital.

The letter addresses the latest arrest, which took place at Trafalgar Square on 6 October 2024, in which a protestor was arrested for allegedly chanting “Israel is a terrorist state”.

In the incident which was captured on video, the entirely peaceful protester can be seen handcuffed behind his back by one officer, while another officer informs him that his arrest is due to his statement: “Israel is a terrorist state.” It is unclear if the protestor made this comment, but, even if he did, it represents a political opinion, not a criminal offense. The police should be fully aware that this individual was exercising his legitimate right to freedom of expression under the Human Rights Act 1998.

In March this year we raised concerns that policing has become increasingly politicised in response to government figures condemning and demonising protestors and that 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 and now in the above instance for exercising their democratic fundamental right to freedom of expression to state their belief “Israel is a terrorist state.”

The increasing number of arrests of pro-Palestinian protestors points to a worrying lack of accountability among Met police officers, indicating a change of standards, and individual cases shows we are sleep-walking into a dangerous arena. This case, in particular, is shocking.

The letter asks Sir Rowley to ensure that Met Police officers are trained and briefed to understand that protestors chanting “Israel is a terrorist state” is an expression protected under freedom of expression rights and does not constitute a basis to trigger an arrest under Public Order legislation and/or anti-terror legislation.

It also asks the Met Police issue a public apology for breaching the individual protestors’ rights under the Human Rights Act, as well as for the alarm and distress this arrest will have caused the wider public. The general public need to be assured their rights will be protected by the police, not trampled on by heavy handed policing that seeks to shield Israel from criticism.

[ENDS]

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