More than 40 legal academics have signed a letter urging an independent investigation into the Metropolitan Police’s handling of a pro-Palestine demonstration in London last Saturday. The scholars described the force’s actions as “a disproportionate, unwarranted, and dangerous assault on the right to assembly and protest.”
The Metropolitan Police said it arrested 77 individuals at the rally, which was banned from gathering outside the BBC’s headquarters in London. The ban, citing the location’s proximity to a synagogue and the Sabbath, forced organizers to hold a static rally instead. Despite these conditions, the Met claimed that protesters attempted to breach police lines in a coordinated effort to defy the imposed restrictions.
This narrative was challenged by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and prominent figures like former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and former shadow chancellor John McDonnell. Both voluntarily underwent police interviews under caution before being “released pending further investigations.”
The letter, signed by academics from over 15 universities including Prof. Jeff King of University College London, criticized the police for imposing conditions on the rally. King, a former legal adviser to the House of Lords select committee on the constitution, and others wrote:
“The conditions imposed by the Metropolitan police on the PSC demonstration on 18 January 2025 were disproportionate and an abuse of police powers.”
They further argued that the police provided no compelling evidence to justify preventing the protest near the BBC or along previously approved routes, said, “The police thus seemed to be motivated by political considerations that seek to limit the efficacy of the protesters and shield state institutions from criticism.”
Among those charged were the chief steward and the director of PSC, with 12 individuals facing public order offences. The PSC accused the Met of reneging on an earlier agreement to allow the march to proceed from the BBC’s Portland Place to Whitehall, a route used in previous demonstrations.
As per The Guardian report, the Metropolitan Police was approached for comment but hasn’t responded yet.
About Author
Leave a Reply