Police Chief Under Pressure To Ban Pro-Palestinian Armistice Day Protests

The Metropolitan Police commissioner is under pressure to ban a pro-Palestinian march planned for Armistice Day.

According to the Telegraph:

Sir Mark Rowley is facing growing calls to cancel Saturday’s rally amid fears that the protest will turn violent.

Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, expressed “grave concerns” over the planned demonstration, with senior Tories also demanding that the march be cancelled.

It came as Sir Mark was warned by his force’s own rank-and-file officers that pro-Palestinian protesters may clash with veterans commemorating the Remembrance weekend.

More than 70,000 protesters are expected in the capital this Saturday in the latest round of controversial pro-Palestinian rallies, at which four police officers were attacked with fireworks over the weekend.

On the same day, veterans will gather at the Cenotaph for a solemn procession to commemorate Britain’s war dead, with hundreds of veterans expected to lead a two-minute silence and a wreath-laying ceremony.

The warnings come after calls from Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman to block the rally through central London.

Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, wrote on Twitter last night that “any disruption of Remembrance weekend would be completely unacceptable”, adding: “It would be an absolute disgrace to hear abusive chants as the nation pays its respects to those that have sacrificed everything for our freedom.”

The Prime Minister wrote to Sir Mark on Friday to argue that the force had “the powers necessary” to ensure that protests did not “disrupt or disturb” acts of Remembrance.