Rishi Sunak condemns the violence of the demonstrations

The British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has denounced the acts of violence carried out by the “far right” and “Hamas supporters” during the protests in London, calling them “completely unacceptable”.

British police reported that 300,000 protesters took to the streets of London, calling for an end to the war in Gaza, and these protests coincided with the celebration of the anniversary of the end of the First World War.

London police arrested 126 people, “the vast majority of them” from the far-right movement, and injured 9 security staff. London police also condemned “serious acts of violence” carried out by the far right.

Far-right elements clashed with police officers near the World War Memorial and Chinatown.

Police also criticized the “appalling” actions of groups who split from pro-Palestinian protesters at the end of the march, and said they arrested some of them after police officers were hit in the face with firecrackers.

It published photos of three people suspected of committing anti-Semitism-related “hate crimes” during the march.

Sunak said he wanted full legal punishment to be imposed on anyone involved in “criminal acts”.

Deputy Police Commissioner Matthew Twist added in a statement that “social tension” had increased due to “a week of tense discussions about the protests and the security response to them.”

This came after Interior Minister Suella Braverman’s statements about the demonstrations before the end of the week.

Police estimate that 300,000 pro-Palestinian protesters attended Saturday’s march, but organizers say the number reached 800,000. BBC reporting teams on the ground noted that the demonstration was largely peaceful.

Before the clashes broke out around ten in the morning, when the police tried to prevent the advance of the groups carrying the flag of San Giorgio, heading towards the War Memorial.

Police said their personnel faced violence from counter-demonstration participants.

Members of the groups stormed the police barrier, chanting “England to death”, and some of them shouted: “Let’s go to them.”

But police said everyone held a two-minute “respectful” silence outside the memorial, to mark the day the Second World War ended.

King Charles III presided over Remembrance Day celebrations – when the British people remember the victims of the First World War – at the memorial on Sunday, accompanied by veterans, members of the royal family and politicians.

London police posted video clips on the website

Police said a group that arrived in Chinatown “confronted police and threw firecrackers at its members.”

Police said they arrested more than 80 people from the counter-demonstration who were “trying to join the main demonstration” in order to “avoid clashes”. A further 10 people were arrested for possession of offensive weapons, disorderly conduct and drug possession.

Police explained that many of the participants in the counter-demonstration were linked to riots at football stadiums, and some of them were convicted of breaking the law in cases related to violence in football.

During the march, the BBC obtained rare permission from police to view the surveillance room in south London, which contains thousands of cameras.

Chants such as “Free Palestine” and “Stop the war now” were heard at the pro-Palestinian march. Protesters began gathering in the Hyde Park area of ​​London.

The march, led by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, headed to the US Embassy building.

One protester told the BBC: “We want a ceasefire. People are suffering and children are dying under the rubble. Nobody seems to care about them.”

He criticized the Prime Minister for saying the timing of the march was an “insult” because it coincided with the anniversary of the end of the war, and the protester added: “The insult is allowing the killing of children.”

Another protester said: “I think it’s the perfect day for the march, because this is the true meaning of the anniversary of the cessation of the war. It’s a call for a ceasefire, a call to stop the war.”

Videos posted on social media show Britain’s Secretary of State for Economic Development, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, entering London Victoria Station under police protection, as protesters carrying the Palestinian flag shout at him : “Shame on you”.

Sunak’s statement said: “I condemn the completely unacceptable scenes of violence caused by the English Defense League, its associated organizations and Hamas supporters who attended the National March for Palestine.”

“The shameful actions of a minority of people offend those who have chosen to express their opinions peacefully.”

He said the clashes “blatantly insult” the honor of “our armed forces”, adding that the issue also concerns “the English Defense League scoundrels who attacked the police and stormed the memorial, as well as those who chanted anti-Semitic slogans and pro-Hamas banners in today’s protests.”

Politicians from the opposition Labor Party have criticized Interior Minister Suella Braverman’s comments on the protests and their security management.

Sir Keir Starmer wrote in the Sunday Telegraph that Braverman was “insulting his position” with these comments.

He said few public figures had done what the Home Secretary did recently, “causing division and hatred among English people, inciting them against each other and sowing the seeds of hatred among them”.

In an article in the Sunday Mirror newspaper, the mayor of London, Siddiq Khan, called for Braverman’s resignation or sacking and praised the work of the London police on his behalf on the X site.

The deputy police commissioner said hundreds of participants in the counter-demonstration “came out with the intent of confrontation and with the intent of violence.”

In a statement he praised the work of the police officers “who exposed themselves to damage” to “prevent anyone from reaching the memorial, which remained protected at all times”.