Two Middle East-related protests to be held in central London on Saturday
Protesters are set to rally at two high-profile demonstrations in central London on Saturday over flaring conflicts in the Middle East, the Metropolitan Police said.
A protest organised by groups under the Palestine Coalition banner will gather in Russell Square from 12pm, before marching to Whitehall via Aldwych and the Strand for an assembly outside Downing Street.
Former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and musician Paloma Faith are among those set to give speeches at the assembly.
Meanwhile, a static counter-protest organised by pro-Israeli group Stop The Hate will be held at the same time just north of Waterloo Bridge at the junction with the Strand.
The group said it would meet at the location from 12.30pm onwards.
Police have set out conditions for the first protest under the Public Order Act which demands that any person taking part in the procession must remain within Russell Square ahead of the protest and must not deviate from its specified route.
Demonstrators must then stay in a specified part of Whitehall for the assembly, which must finish by 5.30pm, the force said.
The Palestine Coalition is comprised of a number of different groups, including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and Stop The War.
Stop The War said in an advertisement for the event on its website: 'Israel's attacks on Gaza and the West Bank are intensifying. Their starvation policy continues. And now Israel attacks on Iran seem intended to lead us into a full-scale war in the Middle East.
'The UK Government has at last accepted that Israel's actions in Gaza are unconscionable. Now they must act – words are not enough.'
Discussions are ongoing regarding possible conditions for the Stop The Hate protest, the Met said.
In a post on X, Stop The Hate said: 'Our families in Israel are under attack: standing bravely in the face of threats and ballistic missiles, whilst the people of Iran are bravely facing down their totalitarian government — now it's our turn to stand proudly in solidarity with them.'
The demonstrations come after reports on Friday that the Home Secretary will ban Palestine Action after the group vandalised two aircraft at RAF Brize Norton.
Yvette Cooper has decided to proscribe the group, making it a criminal offence to belong to or support Palestine Action, after footage posted online showed two people inside the RAF base, with one appearing to spray paint into an aircraft's jet engine.
PSC described the move on social media as 'outrageous', while the Campaign Against Antisemitism welcomed the news, saying: 'Nobody should be surprised that those who vandalised Jewish premises with impunity have now been emboldened to sabotage RAF jets.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
18 minutes ago
- NBC News
Israel-Iran live updates: Conflict enters 9th day as diplomacy falters
CONFLICT ENTERS 9TH DAY: Iran sent a missile barrage into Israel early this morning, sending millions into bomb shelters but with no reported casualties. Israel continued to strike military sites in Iran. NO BREAKTHROUGHS ON INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY: A summit in Geneva yesterday with Iran's foreign minister and European leaders yielded no signs of a breakthrough. At the United Nations Security Council, Iran and Israel traded insults in a heated but ultimately inconclusive meeting. U.S. POSITION: Trump dismissed the European effort, suggesting that a diplomatic solution would require U.S. involvement. On Thursday, he opened a two-week window for negotiations with Iran, delaying a decision on a U.S. military strike on Iranian nuclear sites. IRAN AND ISRAEL: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told NBC News that Iran was not sure it could trust the U.S., and that they would not negotiate 'as long as the aggression continues.' The Israeli military chief said yesterday that the country is ready for 'a prolonged campaign' against Iran. NUCLEAR SITE RISKS: The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, said Israel's strikes on Iranian nuclear power sites have caused some radiological leaks. There is no danger to the public for now, he said,'but there is a danger this could still happen.' HUNDREDS KILLED: Israeli strikes have so far killed at least 630 people in Iran, The Associated Press reported, citing a Washington-based human rights group. The Iranian health ministry says more than 2,500 people have been wounded. The death toll in Israel from Iran's retaliatory strikes remains at 24.
The National
26 minutes ago
- The National
Presiding Officer to step down at Holyrood 2026 election
Alison Johnstone has been in the role since 2021 and was the sixth person – and only the second woman – to hold the position. She entered politics in 2007 when she was elected as a Scottish Greens councillor in Edinburgh. READ MORE: Kate Forbes: Numbers prove that the world is ignoring those who talk Scotland down She was then elected as an MSP in 2011, and 10 years later became the first Scottish Greens party member to take up the role of Presiding Officer. Alison Johnstone (Image: PA) Announcing her decision to step down, Johnstone told The Times that "it was always my intention that this would be my last term in Holyrood". 'I came from a wholly non-political background and got involved in a campaign to save a school playing field," she said. 'I was not in a political party but campaigned for the creation of a Scottish parliament and I then worked as an assistant for Robin Harper, the first-ever Green parliamentarian in the UK elected to the first-ever Scottish parliament.' Most recently, Johnstone made headlines after she expelled former Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross from the debating chamber after he refused to follow rules. Ross tried to bring the matter up a week later, and was slapped down again after he inferred Johnstone had not acted in a "neutral manner". READ MORE: UK Government 'set to proscribe Palestine Action after RAF protest' Holyrood's Presiding Officer is impartial – when MSPs take up the role, they give up their party affiliation. They are responsible for chairing meetings in the debating chamber, selecting which questions will be asked at First Minister's Questions, as well as chairing Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body and Parliamentary Bureau meetings. The Presiding Officer is supported by two deputies – currently Annabelle Ewing (SNP) and Liam McArthur (LibDem). According to the Scottish Parliament website, the Presiding Officer receives a salary of £130,500.
Times
2 hours ago
- Times
Eight arrests as protesters ‘attacked' outside Iranian embassy in London
Eight men have been arrested after anti-regime activists were allegedly assaulted outside the Iranian embassy on Friday morning. Scores of police officers were deployed to the scene after being alerted to reports of an altercation outside the building in Knightsbridge, west London, just before 10am. Two men were treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to hospital. Officials said their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. • Iran's 'propagandist-in-chief' billed to speak at Scottish mosque Police imposed conditions stopping protesters from gathering in the area until 1pm on Sunday to 'prevent serious disorder', but one man was arrested for allegedly breaching the civil order. Scotland Yard said seven men were arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm. All suspects remained in police custody on Friday afternoon. Amir, 30, a member of a pro-Iranian monarchy group, claimed one of the two injured men suffered a 'broken leg'. The construction worker, who withheld his surname, said the activists had staged a 'peaceful protest' outside the embassy since the Israeli attacks on Iran began last week. Amir claimed the members have had 'problems' with supporters of the Islamic regime during that time. The protest was said to have been an anti-regime demonstration, amid the continuing Israel-Iran conflict. The police said the rally involved both pro and anti-regime protesters. Pro-Shah protesters were seen flying different flags supporting Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, including the national flag used before the 1979 Islamist revolution. Officers were seen on patrol in the area to monitor the situation after cordons were lifted later in the afternoon. Pro-Iranian monarchy protesters told The Times they were told to disperse and dismantle flags and banners festooned on railings opposite the embassy. The Metropolitan Police said: 'Officers are on scene in Princes Gate, SW7, following an altercation during a protest. 'They were called at 9.53am on Friday. Conditions have since been put in place to prevent serious disorder.' The police said that eight men remained in police custody and that the two men treated at the scene were in hospital. London Ambulance Service added: 'We were called at 9.56am on [Friday] to reports of an assault in Princes Gate. 'We sent a number of resources to the scene including ambulance crews, paramedics in fast response cars and our tactical response unit. We treated two patients at the scene and took one to hospital and one to a major trauma centre.' The attack unfolded as the war between Israel and Iran continued to escalate and both nations engaged in missile strikes. President Trump said that he would decide in the next fortnight whether or not the US would intervene in the conflict.
