Europe

UK legal scholars demand inquiry into policing of pro-Palestine protest

Legal experts describe policing of protest as 'disproportionate, unwarranted and dangerous assault on right to assembly and protest' in letter to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper

Aysu Bicer  | 22.01.2025 - Update : 22.01.2025
UK legal scholars demand inquiry into policing of pro-Palestine protest Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators, holding banners and Palestinian flags, gather in central London despite police restrictions and a banned route in London, United Kingdom on January 18, 2025

LONDON

Dozens of leading UK legal scholars called Tuesday for an independent inquiry into the Metropolitan Police’s handling of a pro-Palestine protest over the weekend in London.

The lawyers have also demanded that charges against Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), and others arrested during the demonstration be dropped.

In a letter to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, they described the policing of the protest as “a disproportionate, unwarranted and dangerous assault on the right to assembly and protest.”

They urged the government to take action, warning that “the drift of British law and policing poses a fundamental threat to the right to protest.”

The protest on Saturday, organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, was part of a broader movement calling for an end to Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

However, demonstrators faced heavy restrictions, with police reportedly preventing them from assembling near or marching towards the BBC’s headquarters.

Legal scholars argue that the police offered no compelling justification for the restrictions, despite the PSC’s year-long track record of peaceful demonstrations.

They suggest that the police’s actions were politically motivated, aimed at limiting the effectiveness of the protest and shielding state institutions from criticism.

The letter says that video evidence contradicts the police's justifications for the arrests, raising concerns about the misuse of police powers.

It also highlights broader concerns about the erosion of protest rights in the UK, citing recent legislative changes that have made it easier for authorities to restrict demonstrations.

The scholars warned that this pattern of repression has particularly targeted anti-war and pro-Palestine protesters, whose rights to peacefully express dissent are increasingly under threat.

Referencing Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the letter argues that UK authorities are failing in their obligation to respect and facilitate peaceful protest.

It calls for an immediate repeal of recent anti-protest laws and a recalibration of policing strategies to align with international human rights standards.

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