Legal Experts Call for Inquiry into Metropolitan Police Handling of Pro-Palestine Protest
Over 40 academics demand investigation into policing tactics, citing concerns over the right to protest.
More than 40 legal scholars have called for an independent inquiry into the Metropolitan Police's handling of a pro-Palestine demonstration in London on 18 January 2025. In a letter to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, the academics described the police actions as a 'disproportionate, unwarranted, and dangerous assault on the right to assembly and protest.'
The Metropolitan Police arrested 77 individuals during the rally, which had initially been planned to include a march from the BBC's London headquarters to Whitehall.
The police imposed restrictions, banning gatherings near the BBC, citing concerns over its proximity to a synagogue and the event coinciding with the Sabbath.
Protesters were instead instructed to hold a static rally.
However, the police alleged that participants breached the conditions in an attempt to break through police lines.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), organizers of the protest, disputed the police's claims.
Prominent figures such as former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and former shadow chancellor John McDonnell were voluntarily interviewed under caution regarding the event and later released pending further investigation.
The letter from the academics, including Professor Jeff King of University College London and other scholars from more than 15 universities, criticized the Metropolitan Police's actions.
It stated, 'Despite a demonstrable track record of overwhelmingly peaceful protests for over a year, the police prevented the demonstration from assembling near, or marching towards, the BBC on Saturday without offering any compelling evidence.' The signatories expressed concerns that the policing may have been politically motivated to limit criticism of state institutions.
The letter also highlighted the arrests of the chief stewards and the director of the PSC, among others, describing it as 'a worrying escalation in the assault on the right to protest.' Twelve individuals were charged, primarily with public order offences.
Dr. Paul O’Connell, a reader in law at Soas University of London, emphasized the significance of the letter, noting that its signatories have extensive experience in human rights and the rule of law.
He stated, 'It shows, in no uncertain terms, that these experts have the gravest of concerns about the policing of the PSC demonstration and, more generally, about the assault on the right to protest in Britain.'
The PSC claimed that the police reneged on an agreement to allow the march along a previously used route.
Charities and activists have also raised concerns over the broader implications of recent anti-protest laws, calling for their repeal.
The letter urged the home secretary, the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and the attorney general, Lord Hermer KC, to ensure that police tactics and laws in the UK comply with regional and international human rights obligations.
The Metropolitan Police have not yet commented on the matter.
The Metropolitan Police arrested 77 individuals during the rally, which had initially been planned to include a march from the BBC's London headquarters to Whitehall.
The police imposed restrictions, banning gatherings near the BBC, citing concerns over its proximity to a synagogue and the event coinciding with the Sabbath.
Protesters were instead instructed to hold a static rally.
However, the police alleged that participants breached the conditions in an attempt to break through police lines.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), organizers of the protest, disputed the police's claims.
Prominent figures such as former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and former shadow chancellor John McDonnell were voluntarily interviewed under caution regarding the event and later released pending further investigation.
The letter from the academics, including Professor Jeff King of University College London and other scholars from more than 15 universities, criticized the Metropolitan Police's actions.
It stated, 'Despite a demonstrable track record of overwhelmingly peaceful protests for over a year, the police prevented the demonstration from assembling near, or marching towards, the BBC on Saturday without offering any compelling evidence.' The signatories expressed concerns that the policing may have been politically motivated to limit criticism of state institutions.
The letter also highlighted the arrests of the chief stewards and the director of the PSC, among others, describing it as 'a worrying escalation in the assault on the right to protest.' Twelve individuals were charged, primarily with public order offences.
Dr. Paul O’Connell, a reader in law at Soas University of London, emphasized the significance of the letter, noting that its signatories have extensive experience in human rights and the rule of law.
He stated, 'It shows, in no uncertain terms, that these experts have the gravest of concerns about the policing of the PSC demonstration and, more generally, about the assault on the right to protest in Britain.'
The PSC claimed that the police reneged on an agreement to allow the march along a previously used route.
Charities and activists have also raised concerns over the broader implications of recent anti-protest laws, calling for their repeal.
The letter urged the home secretary, the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and the attorney general, Lord Hermer KC, to ensure that police tactics and laws in the UK comply with regional and international human rights obligations.
The Metropolitan Police have not yet commented on the matter.
