Met urges students to move 7 October march as it fails to reach organisers

RightThe Metropolitan Police said it has so far been unable to find or contact the student organisers of a pro-Palestinian march planned in London on Wednesday 7 October, the third anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel. 1 2 RightA group calling itself the University of London Coalition plans to walk from King's College London on the Strand to University College London in Holborn from midday. 2 1 RightDeputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman said finding the organisers "has so far proved difficult" and urged them to reconsider and make contact urgently; he said that for many Londoners it would be "a day of mourning, a day of reflection". 1 2

RightThe Express says police estimate about 300 students will attend, and that the Union of Jewish Students condemned the timing as deliberately provocative; it also says the students are demanding an end to what they call "a genocide in Gaza". 1 RightThe Met has written to the four London universities the students attend, asking for help and leadership; the Express says the letter asks them to take all reasonable steps to protect Jewish students and staff from intimidation and harassment, and GB News says it cites Community Security Trust findings that antisemitism incidents at UK universities remain substantially higher than before October 2023. 1 2 RightPolice acknowledged calls to ban the march but said they cannot give or refuse permission for protests and cannot prohibit one because of insensitive timing or offence caused; under Section 13 of the Public Order Act a ban can only be requested from the Home Secretary where serious public disorder cannot be managed with conditions. 1 2

RightConditions on the route and timing will be imposed on Wednesday, with arrests likely for anyone who breaches them, and Harman said "We have no choice but to police it." 2 1 RightMore than 600 officers will be deployed across the coming week's events: a Battle of Cable Street 90th anniversary march in Whitechapel on Sunday (about 5,000 people), policing around canvassing for the Holborn and St Pancras by-election on Thursday 8 October after recent arrests, and a Palestine Coalition march on Saturday 10 October of up to 10,000 people from near Northumberland Avenue to a Whitehall rally, with an expected counter-protest by Stop the Hate and others. 1 2 RightHarman said the 35 large protests since October 2023 have cost the Met £26.6 million, rising to £90 million once officers taken from local duties are counted, and that police have made more than 17,000 hate crime arrests since October 2023. 1 2

RightHarman said police act to prevent crime and disorder, not on political preference or a perceived "two-tier" approach, and warned that anyone who commits crime, intimidates communities or stirs up hatred "will be dealt with swiftly and decisively"; GB News adds officers will act on antisemitism, anti-Muslim abuse and support for proscribed groups such as Palestine Action. 2 1