London police urge students to reschedule October 7 pro-Palestinian march

London’s Metropolitan Police on Friday publicly urged organizers of a large pro-Palestinian demonstration planned for Wednesday, October 7, to move the march to another date, citing serious concerns over its impact on Jewish students and staff on the third anniversary of the Hamas massacre in Israel.

The march is expected to set out at noon from King’s College London and end at University College London (UCL), with organizers calling on participants to protest Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. Against the backdrop of the sensitive date, the Metropolitan Police issued an unusual public appeal to the organizers on Friday asking them to reschedule the demonstration.

Senior police officer James Harman, who is responsible for operations at the Metropolitan Police, said during a briefing at Scotland Yard that “serious concerns” had been raised about the demonstration’s impact on students and faculty members, particularly Jews, both because of the date chosen and because of the planned route between major academic institutions in the British capital.

Harman said police had tried to contact the organizers but had struggled to identify anyone willing to take formal responsibility for the event.

He publicly called on them to change their plans, saying organizers and participants should consider the distress such a demonstration could cause on a day when many members of the Jewish community will mark three years since the October 7 attack.

Pro-Palestine groups in universities across London

The march is being organized under the name University of London Coalition, an umbrella organization of pro-Palestinian student groups at universities across London. In publicity ahead of the demonstration, organizers called for a “Palestine free from the river to the sea” and described the war in Gaza as part of what they called “78 years of genocide.”

One of the event advertisements also featured the red triangle symbol, which in recent years has been associated with Hamas videos.

London police said that if the organizers refuse to move the march, officers will consider measures intended to reduce disruption and harm. Police have already contacted four universities attended by students associated with the coalition and asked their administrations to take steps to ensure that Jewish students and staff can study and work without feeling threatened, excluded, or targeted.

In its letters, the police emphasized that it recognizes the importance of freedom of expression, peaceful protest, and academic debate. At the same time, it cited figures from the Community Security Trust showing that the number of antisemitic incidents at British universities remains significantly higher than levels recorded before October 2023.

Zero-tolerance approach towards hate crimes

Scotland Yard stressed that police do not have the authority to cancel a demonstration solely because of its date or political message. They may, however, impose strict conditions on the route, timing, and conduct of a march when there is a risk of serious public disorder, significant disruption, or intimidation of the public.

Hundreds of police officers are expected to be deployed across London during the coming week because of a series of demonstrations and events. Police said they would adopt a zero-tolerance approach toward hate crimes, incitement to violence, or expressions of support for terrorist organizations.

The October 7 march is expected to be one of the most sensitive tests for British police since the start of the war. Three days later, on October 10, another large march by pro-Palestinian organizations is expected to take place in central London, with police estimating that up to approximately 10,000 people could attend.

According to Metropolitan Police figures, the groups that make up the Palestine Coalition have held dozens of large demonstrations in London since October 2023. Police said 35 of those demonstrations cost approximately £26.6 million in direct expenses. Including the cost of diverting officers from other duties, the total estimated cost rises to about £90 million.