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Police detain activists outside Board of Deputies while students defy calls to postpone demonstrations
Five people were arrested outside the Board of Deputies of British Jews in London on Wednesday morning for allegedly inciting racial hatred, as pro-Palestine demonstrations swept across the capital and university campuses on the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks.
The Metropolitan Police said officers made the arrests at what they described as a “spontaneous protest” outside the Jewish community organisation’s offices in Camden, involving “allegedly shouting or chanting slogans calling for intifada.”
“They remain in police custody,” Scotland Yard confirmed in a statement. “The protest in Camden has now ended.”
The arrests came as hundreds of students took to the streets in central London and planned rallies at Edinburgh and Glasgow universities, defying calls from Jewish leaders, the Education Secretary, and police to postpone demonstrations on what Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman described as “a day of mourning and reflection for many in London.”
A Day Of Tension And Defiance
The atmosphere in London was charged from the early hours. Around 100 pro-Palestine protesters marched through the city, chanting “Free, free Palestine” and “Free the people, free the land.” At the back of the march, a group carried a banner reading: “Holocaust survivor descendants against Gaza genocide.”
Counter-protesters holding Israeli flags and placards gathered near Russell Square, with shouts of “scumbags” directed at the pro-Palestine marchers. The counter-demonstrators chanted: “Terrorist supporters off our streets.”
The Met imposed strict conditions on the central London march, requiring participants to assemble at Lincoln’s Inn Fields by 12:30 pm, follow a set route to Russell Square, and conclude by 2 pm. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Harman acknowledged the “serious concerns that this event has caused Jewish communities in particular.”
“I would like to take this opportunity – again – to call on anyone intending to join this march to please reflect on the impact and distress it will cause on this very significant date, and exercise your right to protest on a different day,” he said.
Political Leaders Condemn Protests
The decision to proceed with demonstrations on October 7 drew sharp condemnation from political leaders across the spectrum.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham assured the British Jewish community that “we stand with you” against antisemitism, three years after the attacks that killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and saw more than 250 others taken hostage.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell called on students planning to protest on university campuses “to show compassion and respect for others by moving it” to another date.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews, which was holding a vigil in Richmond Terrace near Whitehall on Wednesday afternoon, issued a statement through its president, Phil Rosenberg.
“Three years on, the awful events of October 7 stand as one of the most tragic days for Jews around the world,” Rosenberg said. “The Hamas terrorist massacre inflicted profound suffering and enduring trauma. We will gather in central London to honour the victims with dignity and resolve.”
A number of student pro-Palestine demonstrations taking place despite calls for a ban or for the protests to be moved to a different date
AFP/Getty
Student Protests Defy Calls for Postponement
Despite the backlash, student pro-Palestine demonstrations went ahead as planned. Students linked to Queen Mary University of London held a rally near their campus in East London, while pro-Palestine rallies led by student societies took place at Edinburgh and Glasgow universities on Wednesday afternoon.
Jewish student leaders had called the plans “outrageous,” but organisers defended their right to protest.
A spokesperson for a student solidarity group, speaking on condition of anonymity due to fears of reprisals: “We mourn all loss of civilian life, whether in Israel or Palestine. But we cannot allow the anniversary of one atrocity to be used to silence those speaking out against ongoing atrocities in Gaza. The Palestinian death toll has surpassed 74,000. Where is the vigil for them?”
Green Party Motion Ignites New Controversy
The protests come amid heightened tensions within British politics over Israel and Palestine. The Green Party recently passed a controversial motion defining Zionism as racism, leading to party leader Zack Polanski being barred from entering Israel.
Two senior Rabbis condemned the motion in stark terms. Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Rabbi Josh Levy said: “By adopting it, the Green Party has made antisemitism party policy and become a racist party.”
The motion has deepened divisions within progressive circles, with some arguing it conflates legitimate criticism of Israeli government policy with antisemitism, while others insist it addresses structural racism inherent in political Zionism.
Rising Antisemitism And Islamophobia
The Prime Minister described a rise in antisemitic behaviour in the UK since 2023 as “disturbing,” pledging that his government is “committed to protecting our citizens from vile hatred.”
Data from the Community Security Trust (CST), published in August, revealed that antisemitic incidents in the UK spiked following the US and Israel’s military actions against Iran and after a double stabbing of two visibly Jewish men in London.
A number of student pro-Palestine demonstrations were also taking place, despite calls for a ban or for the protests to be moved to a different date
PA
The CST recorded 1,926 antisemitic incidents across the UK between January and June 2026, a 20% increase on the same period last year and the second-highest total ever reported in the first half of any year. Only the 2,019 incidents recorded in the first half of 2024, immediately following the October 7 attacks and Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza, exceeded this figure.
Meanwhile, Muslim civil liberties organisations have reported a parallel rise in Islamophobia, with the Met Police acknowledging an increase in hate crimes targeting Muslim communities.
A Government Accused Of Silencing Dissent
Critics have accused the British government of using concerns about antisemitism as a pretext to suppress legitimate pro-Palestine activism.
“This is a clear example of the British government’s attempt to silence free speech and the right to protest,” said one activist with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, who requested anonymity. “The arrests this morning were not about inciting racial hatred; they were about criminalising solidarity with Palestine.”
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that five people were arrested during a pro-Palestinian march in London last month, the first of its kind under the new Labour government. Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The Met deployed 700 officers to manage the demonstration. One individual was detained on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence related to a placard; three others were arrested for breaching Public Order Act conditions; and a fifth on suspicion of inciting racial hatred in relation to a placard.
Among the attendees was Jeremy Corbyn, recently re-elected as an independent MP for Islington North. Addressing the crowd, the former Labour leader reiterated his support for the Palestinian cause.
“Palestine was on the ballot in this election,” Corbyn said. “A change in government doesn’t change the facts that the people of Gaza are still being murdered in their sleep. And it doesn’t change the fact that there is only one path to a just and lasting peace: an end to the occupation of Palestine.”
Legal And Ethical Questions
The arrests raise significant legal questions about the boundaries between protected speech and incitement. Under the Public Order Act 1986, inciting racial hatred requires proof that the accused intended to stir up racial hatred or that it was likely to be stirred up.
Human rights lawyers have questioned whether chanting “intifada” constitutes incitement. The term, which means “uprising” in Arabic, has been used to describe both peaceful protests and violent attacks.
“Context is everything,” said a London-based human rights barrister, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Prosecutors will need to demonstrate that the specific words used, in the specific context, were intended or likely to stir up racial hatred. The bar is high, as it should be in a democracy.”
The Met has defended its use of powers to impose conditions on protests to “minimise serious disruption to the community and balance the rights of all.”
A Community In Mourning, A Movement In Defiance
As evening fell, the Board of Deputies held its vigil in Richmond Terrace, just off Whitehall. Candles were lit, prayers were recited, and the names of the victims were read aloud.
As Israeli terrorism persists, the air is thick with fear, and innocent lives continue to suffer the deepest pain.”We will not forget,” Rosenberg said. “We will not allow their memory to be tarnished by those who seek to erase our pain.”
But for pro-Palestine activists, the pain of October 7 is inseparable from the pain of Gaza.
“Every life is precious,” said one protester, holding a sign reading “Mourn the dead, fight for the living.” “We mourn Israeli lives. We mourn Palestinian lives. We mourn all lives lost to this conflict. That is not antisemitism. That is humanity.”
The Road Ahead
Three years after October 7, the conflict shows no signs of resolution. Despite ceasefire negotiations, Israeli attacks continue in Gaza, and the death toll mounts.
In Britain, the political and social fractures deepened by the conflict show no sign of healing. The arrests on Wednesday will likely fuel further anger and further protests.
As one activist put it: “They can arrest us. They can ban our marches. They can call us terrorists. But they cannot silence us. The movement for Palestinian liberation is not going away.”
The Met confirmed that the Camden protest had ended and that those arrested remained in custody. Investigations are ongoing.
References:
Metropolitan Police statements, October 7, 2026
Board of Deputies of British Jews statements
Community Security Trust data, August 2026
Gaza Ministry of Health figures
Public Order Act 1986
Interviews with protesters, activists, and community leaders
Veritas Press Investigative Analysis Independent journalism examining global affairs, power, diplomacy, and accountability.
Source:Veritas Press C.I.C. | Multi-News Agencies
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Kamran Faqir is a volunteer investigative journalist and writer committed to exposing hidden truths and amplifying underreported stories. Driven by social justice, he brings sharp insight and fearless truth-telling to independent journalism. NUJ registered.
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