Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan, who will lead the policing operation, said: “This is going to be a particularly busy few days in London with many simultaneous protests and events that will require a significant policing presence. I’m grateful not just to the Met officers who will be working incredibly hard over the coming days but to those colleagues from other forces who have been deployed to London to support us.”
Friday August 8
On Friday afternoon, officers will be deployed in the vicinity of hotels being used to accommodate asylum seekers in Islington and in Canary Wharf in anticipation of possible protest and counter protest.
Officers will also be policing a number of local protests in opposition to continued Israeli military action in Gaza. These are due to take place in Tower Hamlets, in Putney and in Westminster where, last week, a protest organised by the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN) saw 36 arrests after a breakaway group attempted to block the road at Oxford Circus.
Saturday August 9
On Saturday the latest national demonstration by the Palestine Coalition, made up of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War and other groups, will take place with a march from Russell Square to Whitehall followed by an assembly with speeches. We are not aware of an organised counter protest at this event.
Also on Saturday we are anticipating another protest in Parliament Square organised by Defend Our Juries where participants are expected to intentionally break the law by holding up placards expressing support for the proscribed group Palestine Action. Previous such protests have seen more than 100 arrests made in total.
Sunday August 10
On Sunday, the FA Community Shield match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace will take place at Wembley. We anticipate that a number of Crystal Palace fans will gather in central London ahead of the match and we will have officers deployed in the area to deal with any incidents.
On Sunday afternoon, from 3pm, there will be a ‘National March for the Hostages’ in central London organised by Stop the Hate and a number of Jewish organisations. There will be a policing and security operation in place to ensure the safety of participants.
Officers will again be deployed in Canary Wharf in anticipation of a planned protest and possible counter protest relating to the use of hotels to accommodate asylum seekers.
