Met Police blocks plans for Pro-Palestine march near BBC as it will take place close to synagogue
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The Met Police has blocked plans for a Pro-Palestine march near the BBC’s headquarters in central London as it will take place close to a synagogue. The force has used powers under the Public Order Act to prevent the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) from gathering outside Broadcasting House in Portland Place ahead of a march to Whitehall on Saturday, 18 January.
Conditions enforced by the police will now prevent protesters from gathering in the busy street and the surrounding area. Scotland Yard previously told the PSC to alter its plans to avoid “serious disruption” to the congregation of a nearby synagogue – and had threatened to impose the Public Order Act conditions to stop the rally.
The Met said it had “reflected on the views of local community and business representatives, including those of the congregation at a synagogue” before coming to the decision. Holding the march on a Saturday – the Jewish holy day – when congregants will be attending Shabbat services, was also a factor, police said.
Commander Adam Slonecki, who is leading the policing operation in London that weekend, said: “It is not our role to give permission for protests, but we can use our powers under the Public Order Act to apply conditions to control start and finish times, routes, form up points and other details where necessary.
“Since October 2023 we have used these powers proactively on more occasions than at any other point in recent history.”. The Met Police said it had “taken into account the cumulative impact of this prolonged period of protest, often taking place on Saturdays and on numerous occasions in the vicinity of synagogues”.
