Police in London have made five arrests during a pro-Palestinian demonstration, with two individuals detained specifically for shouting slogans calling for "intifada". The incident occurred outside the Ministry of Justice in Westminster on Wednesday evening, marking a significant shift in police response to such language in the wake of recent violent attacks on Jewish communities.
Arrests and a Changed Context
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the initial two arrests were for the chanting of "intifada" slogans. A third person was then arrested for obstructing officers as they made those initial arrests. Later, the force confirmed two further arrests for public order offences, one of which was racially aggravated, bringing the total to five.
This decisive action follows a joint statement from the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police (GMP), issued after the Bondi Beach terrorist attack in Sydney. In that attack, two gunmen killed 15 people who were gathered to celebrate Hanukkah. The statement warned that protesters would face arrest for chanting the slogan "globalise the intifada".
Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and GMP Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson stated clearly: "We know communities are concerned about placards and chants such as 'globalise the intifada' and those using it at future protest or in a targeted way should expect the Met and GMP to take action." They emphasised that "violent acts have taken place, the context has changed - words have meaning and consequence."
Community Reactions and Political Response
The police's firmer stance has been welcomed by prominent Jewish leaders and organisations. Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis demanded action against hate speech following the Bondi attack, stating that slogans like "globalise the intifada" must be clearly deemed unlawful. Reacting to the police announcement on X, he called it a "most welcome development, and an important step towards challenging the hateful rhetoric we have seen on our streets, which has inspired acts of violence and terror."
The Community Security Trust, a charity protecting British Jews, said the move came "not a moment too soon". However, the stance has drawn criticism from pro-Palestinian groups. Ben Jamal of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign argued it "marks another low in the political repression of protest for Palestinian rights."
Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones weighed in, suggesting people should refrain from using chants like "globalise the intifada" and "from the river to the sea". She told Sky News that "any chants that are designed to intimidate, call for violence, call for the murder of Jews, are totally unacceptable".
A Pattern of Violence and Heightened Tensions
The police reassessment of protest chants is directly linked to recent tragedies. The Sydney attack occurred roughly two months after a terrorist attack at the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester, which killed two people. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has acknowledged that the Bondi Beach attack was not an "isolated incident" but part of a pattern focused on Jewish holy days.
In a related move earlier in the week, the Met imposed conditions on a separate pro-Palestine protest near the BBC headquarters in central London. They stated it would have caused "serious disruption to the lives of Jewish Londoners attending a nearby synagogue and a private Hanukkah event".
The term "intifada", meaning "uprising" in Arabic, refers to two major Palestinian uprisings against Israel, which resulted in thousands of deaths. Police forces now assert that in the current climate, its use crosses a legal boundary, prompting the arrests seen in Westminster.
