Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood approved the Metropolitan Police’s request and officially banned the annual Al Quds Day march, scheduled for this Sunday in central London.
The decision was made due to a “serious risk of public disorder,” according to an official statement from the Minister of Internal Affairs. The ban applies to the march itself and any associated counterdemonstrations. It takes effect immediately and will remain in effect for one month.
According to police, the threshold for a complete ban is extremely high, and the decision was made reluctantly. However, the scale of the protest, the presence of several counterdemonstrations, and the current tensions in the Middle East made such a step necessary. Authorities have only permitted a stationary protest, but even this will be under strict police control.
The Al Quds Day march has been held annually since 1979 and is traditionally associated with support for Iran. Organizers position it as a rally in support of Palestine, but critics, including dozens of members of parliament from various parties, call it a “hate march” that promotes the interests of the Iranian regime, contains anti-Semitic slogans, and openly supports organizations banned in the UK, such as Hezbollah.
This is the first time a march in London has been banned in nearly 15 years. The decision has already sparked heated controversy: some welcome it as a measure to protect public order and combat extremism, while others accuse the authorities of restricting freedom of speech and political censorship.
Police have warned that any attempts to hold the banned march will be stopped, and participants may face prosecution.