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The Metropolitan Police have urged pro-Palestinian student groups to abandon plans for a march through central London on the third anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel, warning of the distress it could cause Jewish students and staff.
The demonstration is planned for Wednesday, 7 October, with students expected to march from King’s College London (KCL) to University College London (UCL).
But police say they have been unable to identify anyone willing to take responsibility for organising the event, despite attempts to make contact.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman has now publicly appealed to those behind the march to change the date.
“Serious concerns have been expressed about the impact of this march on students and staff, particularly those who are Jewish – the route and the day it is being held,” he told The Times.
“Finding the organisers has so far proved difficult. So I use this opportunity today to urge them to reconsider and to make contact with us urgently, so they can plan their events on a different date.”
The march is being promoted by the University of London coalition, a network of pro-Palestinian student groups, which has called on supporters to demonstrate against Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Police have contacted KCL, UCL, the London School of Economics (LSE) and SOAS, asking them to help prevent Jewish students and staff from feeling threatened or excluded on campus.
Officers have warned that restrictions could be imposed if the protest goes ahead and there is evidence of a risk of serious disorder, disruption or intimidation.
The plans have drawn criticism from the Union of Jewish Students (UJS), whose president, Raphi Leon, condemned the choice of date.
“There are 365 days of the year. The decision to protest on this day is provocative, deliberate and must be condemned to the fullest extent,” he said.
The demonstration would take place exactly three years after Hamas terrorists attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages into Gaza.
The Met is preparing to deploy more than 600 officers to police protests and other events over the coming week.
According to figures reported by The Times, the force has spent £26.6 million policing 35 major demonstrations since October 2023, with the wider cost of diverting officers from other duties estimated to bring the total to £90 million.
The Met has also made clear that it cannot simply prohibit the demonstration because of its timing. However, officers can impose conditions on its route and timing, and anyone who breaches those restrictions could face arrest.
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