London, Thanasis Gavos

Despite objections from the British government, London’s Metropolitan Police chief, Sir Mark Rowley, announced today that the massive pro-Palestine demonstration planned for this Saturday in the city center will go ahead as normal.

It will be the fifth consecutive Saturday with a demonstration in the British capital against the Israeli bombing of Gaza, but this time there is a backlash because coincides with the anniversary of Armistice Day, i.e. the end of the First World War.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak he had written to Scotland Yard in favor of banning the “provocative and disrespectful” marchvoicing fears of damage to the Cenotaph monument, where the annual Remembrance Sunday ceremony will take place the following day, with King Charles officiating.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman, responsible for policing, said it was “completely unacceptable to desecrate Armistice Day with a hate march”.

Organizers, however, say the march this time is not planned to pass through Westminster, but will instead move from Hyde Park to the US embassy on the south bank of the Thames.

Sir Mark defended the decision not to ask the minister to ban the demonstration by injunction, saying no security information had emerged that met the strict criteria for banning a protest in the city.

As he pointed out, this has only been done once in the past decade, before a far-right march.

The commander of Scotland Yard added that if the facts change, then of course a ban on the demonstration could be requested. He also assured the citizens that the protesters will be kept away from the grounds of the Armistice Day ceremonies.

However, Health Secretary Steven Barclay reiterated that this Saturday is “the wrong day” for a demonstration in London and revealed that discussions are continuing in the cabinet on how to deal with the situation.