Police to use Thames to separate protesters at Al Quds protest
London Police Deploy River Thames as Barrier Between Protesters and Counter-Protesters at Al Quds Rally
On Sunday, London’s police force will employ the River Thames as a strategic divide between demonstrators and their opponents at the Al Quds Day gathering in the city center. This tactic aims to manage tensions during the event, which has drawn significant attention due to its political significance.
March Banned Amid Public Disorder Concerns
A planned demonstration heading to the Home Office was prohibited earlier this week following Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s approval of a request from the Metropolitan Police to halt the event, citing the need to prevent serious public unrest. The Met cited community tensions and an “intelligence gap” as contributing factors to the decision.
“The use of the Thames as a buffer between opposing groups is a ‘new bespoke tactic’ to tackle the ‘unique set of circumstances’ the Al Quds rally brings,” said Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan in a Thursday briefing.
The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), which organized the protest, has stated that a static demonstration will proceed, asserting that the rally’s ban was a “politically driven decision.” They emphasized that the event will remain peaceful and pro-Palestinian.
Expectation of Large Crowds and Increased Security
The Met anticipates at least 6,000 participants in the Al Quds protest and an equal number of counter-protesters, though they warned of the possibility of “significantly more” attendees due to heightened tensions in the Middle East. To manage the situation, Lambeth and Vauxhall Bridges will be closed to all traffic except emergency vehicles, with demonstrators positioned on Albert Embankment south of the Thames and counter-protesters contained within Millbank.
Over 1,000 personnel, including community officers and support from other forces, will oversee the event. Enhanced security will also be implemented in other “vulnerable locations” across London, particularly those with substantial Jewish populations.
“Adelekan highlighted that officers will be instructed to take a ‘zero tolerance approach’ to hate crimes, with individuals endorsing banned organizations facing arrest,” the Met stated.
The ban and policing measures “doesn’t completely remove risk of disorder,” Adelekan noted, but will make the protest “immeasurably easier to police.” The tradition of Al Quds Day began after the 1979 Iranian Revolution and is typically observed on the final Friday of Ramadan, with marches held globally. The IHRC views the day as a platform to advocate for Palestine.
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