London protests LIVE: Pro-Israel counter-demo takes place before major Pro-Palestine march to Whitehall

The Met Police have given strict instructions around the uses of face coverings or masks during today’s protests, insisting officers have the right to arrest those refusing to remove them.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Carl Galvin, who is leading the policing operation today, said: “We have seen debate about this issue following the student protests earlier this week, with the presumption that police will arrest anyone wearing a face covering.

“To be clear, we have the power under Section 60AA to arrest someone who refuses to remove a mask. And we will do so if we see groups of people who refuse and are covering their faces with the intention to hide their identity, intimidate and commit offences. That is unacceptable.

“But for individual cases, officers must carefully assess why a person is wearing a mask and respond in a measured way. Where necessary, they will intervene and enforce the law, recognising that this may sometimes lead to conflict. That is the nature of policing in certain circumstances.

"On other occasions an arrest may not be the most appropriate course of action in that moment. This is not ‘two-tier policing’ - it is officers exercising professional judgement and acting proportionately based on the facts before them.

“There have been 35 large protests organised by the groups that make up the Palestine Coalition since October 2023. The majority who attend do so peacefully and lawfully, but we have seen arrests from a small minority across these protests for racially and religiously aggravated public order offences, for stirring up racial hatred and for supporting terrorist organisations.

“We will continue to take a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime and other offending.”

Counter protest organised

A counter protest to today’s March for Palestine is also expected to take place today.

The protest called ‘Stop the Hate – Two Tiers Ends Here’, will congregate outside New Scotland Yard, with police advising protesters in advance that they can require the removal of face coverings if they believe a person is wearing it to conceal their identity.

The ‘Stop The Hate’ counter-protest must conclude by 2.30pm and remain within a designated area of the Embankment outside New Scotland Yard.

When will the march start?

Today’s March for Palestine has been given strict conditions by the Met Police for its journey through central London.

The march, organised by Palestine Coalition, will form up on the Embankment in Victoria at 12pm and must then travel via Westminster Bridge, York Road, Waterloo Bridge and the Strand onto Whitehall.

The Met has said the rally in Whitehall must conclude by 6.30pm.

It is anticipated that between 7,000 and 10,000 people will take part in the protest.

Coaches are being organised from cities across the UK, including Bristol, Manchester and Coventry, to bring demonstrators to central London for the major protest.

The Palestine Coalition includes Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War, CND, Muslim Association of Britain, Friends of Al Aqsa and Palestinian Forum in Britain.