Met police step in to stop clashes at pro-Palestine protest
by Arthur Parashar · Mail OnlineMet Police officers were forced to break up clashes between pro-Palestine activists and counter-protesters today as tempers flared following the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Thousands of pro-Palestine protesters packed out London's Trafalgar Square, two days after Israeli forces confirmed they had successfully eliminated Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7 attacks.
A group of at least four counter-demonstrators standing under the entrance to the National Gallery sparked a wave of anger from the crowds as they held up a banner stating, 'Hezbollah like Hamas is also a Terrorist Organization'.
One of the counter-protesters called the Pro-Palestinian activists 'terrorist supporters' and chanted 'Hamas are terrorists' over her megaphone.
As a crowd gathered around the counter-protesters, Met Police officers intervened by putting themselves in between the two hostile groups.
One pro-Palestine activist attempted to drown out the anti-Hamas chanting and drive off the counter-protestors using a siren on his own megaphone.
Read More
Slain Hamas leader's cause of death confirmed - as Iran makes vow
The Metropolitan Police estimated that around 3,500 protestors gathered under Nelson's Column to protest.
Over the two-hour demonstration, protesters occupying the square chanted the controversial slogan 'From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free'. Some say this is a chant which means Israel should not exist.
Others included 'Keir Starmer, David Lammy shame on you'.
Vile signs were also on display, including one which said 'burn the zionist? Sanctions now.' Other chants included 'victory to the intifada'.
As well as filling out Trafalgar Square, many activists also demonstrated outside Downing Street. The Met Police also had to deploy officers to Tower Bridge at around 6pm after pro-Palestine protesters blocked traffic.
Speakers at the rally included the left-wing comedian Alexei Sayle and Fran Heathcote, the General Secretary of the civil service's trade union, PCS.
Popular placards held by the protesters called upon the government to 'Stop arming Israel' and for 'Hands off Lebanon'.
Read More
Starmer urges international community to 'make the most of this moment' after Hamas chief is killed
Despite the testy interactions with counter-demonstrators, the protest remained largely peaceful with the Met confirming no arrests were made.
An update at around 5.30pm said: 'Crowds have now cleared from both Trafalgar Square and Whitehall. A police presence remains locally to ensure the continued safety of all of those in the vicinity.'
The protests come as Israel confirmed on Thursday that Hamas leader Sinwar had been killed in North Gaza.
Sir Keir Starmer said the UK 'will not mourn' the death of Sinwar. He said: 'As the leader of the terrorist group Hamas, Yahya Sinwar was the mastermind behind the deadliest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust, as 1,200 people were slaughtered in Israel.
'Today my thoughts are with the families of those victims. The UK will not mourn his death.
'The release of all hostages, an immediate ceasefire and an increase in humanitarian aid are long overdue so we can move towards a long-term, sustainable peace in the Middle East.'
Israel has killed more than 42,000 Palestinians and destroyed much of the Gaza Strip during the year-long war.
Mr Sinwar's death is a crippling blow to Hamas, but the group has proven resilient after losses of previous leaders.
He became the overall leader of Hamas in July after his predecessor Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an apparent Israeli strike in the Iranian capital Tehran.
Tel Aviv said Mr Sinwar was killed on Wednesday in Gaza, with Israeli leaders presenting his death as a turning point in the country's campaign against Hamas.