Public order: keeping the peace in difficult circumstances

Chris Hobbs follows one of the largest demonstrations officers have had to police in recent times

The estimate that 150,000 attended the pro-Palestine protest as proclaimed by the Socialist Worker, was certainly an over-estimate but it was probably the largest protest seen in London for some considerable time; the 30,000 quoted by the Telegraph was perhaps a more accurate assessment.

Whatever the figure, the one certainty was that however the event evolved, the Metropolitan police and its officers were going to attract criticism and so it proved.

The actual march from the BBC in Portland Place to Whitehall was largely without incident. Whilst I and photo-journalists at the head of the march saw no incidents on the route, it appears at one stage a small group of ‘patriots’ waving St. Georges flags clashed with protesters. Footage shows the commendable efforts of a march steward attempting to keep the protagonists apart.

This wasn’t the only protest in the Whitehall area. In Parliament Square, a ‘Stop the Boats,’ gathering attracted a miserly attendance of about 100. An appearance by a handful of Palestinian supporters who didn’t wish to listen to the speeches, were seen by the group some of whom began to cross the road to confront them.

Police moved to intercept them and they were halted in the middle of the road by officers who were then subjected to a tirade of abuse. These protesters were ushered back on to the footway as more officers arrived to contain the situation.

Back in Whitehall, the protesters had been greeted by groups of Sudanese protesters who have their own issues in respect of the situation in Sudan. During the speeches, they had moved to King Georges Street where they staged a noisy and somewhat chaotic protest in the vicinity of the Foreign Office. Officers initially looked concerned but, despite the chaos, the protesters were smiling and as cheerful as they could possibly be.

Some Palestinian protesters were drifting away and there was a brief confrontation involving officers and a male in a Guy Fawkes mask. This drew a crowd which remained together and marched unescorted by police past a Parliament Square now devoid of ‘Stop the Boat,’ protesters and along Victoria Street. They were followed by another group of around 100 and they would appear to be setting out for the Israeli Embassy.

After reaching Victoria Station, I opted to return to Whitehall and saw that the rally had concluded with most of the thousands of participants having headed home. Remaining, however, were several hundred protesters most of whom were either truculent or vociferously curious.

Whitehall Disorder

An arrest saw a crowd pursue the arresting officers who were protected by a ‘bubble’ of their TSG colleagues. They turned right into King Charles Street, where, in a well-rehearsed tactic, the escorting officers again formed a cordon thus halting the crowd and allowing the officers to proceed unencumbered to their prisoner transport.

The dust settled in King Charles Street, but a short time later there was running, shouting and screaming in the same street. Officers were jumping out of their carriers to intervene as the object of the wrath of the youths became apparent, namely the sight of one of a small group displaying an Israeli flag. It would appear this group were linked to a male anti-Iranian government hunger striker who had set up a small encampment opposite the foreign office.

What had become a screaming mob would have inflicted some considerable physical damage on those individuals were it not for the timely intervention of the officers. Chants of ‘terrorists,’ were directed at the men before the crowd drifted away.

Back at Downing Street, the crowd of protesters had grown smaller as officers made another arrest. This time they walked the prisoner in ‘bubble formation,’ towards Trafalgar Square followed by group of protesters chanting the familiar, ‘Shame on you.’ Once again, in a well-rehearsed manoeuvre, officers suddenly formed a cordon across a side road allowing the arresting officers to place their prisoner in a carrier without even verbal interference.

Trafalgar Square and the long march

A stroll back down Whitehall to Downing Street saw most of the protesters gone so it was back up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square. The very obvious presence of an NPAS helicopter overhead was somewhat puzzling as the day’s events seemed to be over. However, in Trafalgar Square it became clear that they had not.

Several hundred protesters had migrated to Trafalgar Square and were on the plinth of Nelson’s Column and at the base. Occasionally powerful fireworks could be seen and heard emanating from the group which then incongruously paused for prayers.

Suddenly the protesters left Trafalgar Square and marched back down Whitehall past theatre goers and tourists. Unbeknown to the crowd several TSG carriers were parked at the top of Whitehall and a number ‘debussed,’ and began to follow the protesters. Downing Street was ignored but outside Parliament there was another skirmish with police as an arrest was made reportedly for a firework linked offence.

The trek around the streets continued and began to resemble the aimless ‘walkabouts,’ of anti-Lockdown protesters. TSG carriers followed and officers escorting the crowd commented that they expected the crowd to be ‘kettled,’ (their term) at some stage. They were probably unaware that Section 12 of the Public Order Act had earlier been rescinded.

At this point I decided to return home but there appear to have been no further reported incidents.

Even handed and restrained

The following day, it transpired that there had been fifteen arrests which, given the emotions generated on the day by the events in the Middle East, was a return that suggested even handed, restrained policing.

This restraint was illustrated by footage which showed a traffic police officer on a motor bike being subjected to abuse and threats by a ‘citizen journalist’ who was later identified on social media as a close associate of Tommy Robinson. Later reports suggested he was arrested the next day, but this hasn’t been confirmed by the Met or the individual himself.

That such a major protest where emotions were raw and heightened, passed off with relatively few incidents should have been a reason for some form of praise from the MSM, but predictably it wasn’t.

The Mail on Sunday was quick off the mark by criticising officers for not spotting, amongst 30,000 or so protesters, two small patches on the backs of two young female protesters which showed pictures of paragliders.

Controversy

Before the march, Deputy Commissioner Lynne Owens made the Met’s position perfectly clear in relation to placards, banners, symbols and chanting yet there was still criticism of officer’s failure to act in relation to the ‘From the river to the sea,’ chants on the basis that it advocated the destruction of Israel and the death of all Jews. Whilst this is one interpretation clearly endorsed by many, a Google search will reveal that there are others.

Mass arrests by Met officers on these grounds would doubtless result in a gravy train for human rights lawyers, that’s if the CPS authorised charges. Mass arrests could also have resulted in serious disorder which would have again led to criticism due to the number of children present.

There was also criticism in relation to the ‘disrespectful positioning of the stage relative to the Cenotaph. Westminster Council appeared to point the finger of blame at the Met and critics seemed ignorant of the fact that for the larger protests, the stage has always been always been in the same place. The first protest that I stumbled upon was in support of Tommy Robinson and the stage was in that position.

It may well be that a factor in respect of the stage, would be that repositioning it would obscure the view of armed police officers permanently stationed at the Downing Street gates.

The sight of police shields and helmets left at the base of the Cenotaph also attracted criticism. I would hope that the fallen would be tolerant and hold the view that equipment designed to protect those charged with keeping the peace was not inappropriately placed. It may, or may not, also be deemed relevant that police forces across the country lost officers on active service in both World Wars. Other officers were killed on the home front primarily in bombing raids.  As for a Hamas flag being left at the base of the Cenotaph, I certainly haven’t seen any Hamas flags displayed at any time. It’s unlikely that any Hamas flag that somehow came into the possession of officers would simply be left. It would almost certainly be documented.

There was also a heavy police presence in the vicinity of the Israeli Embassy with the road in front of the Embassy barriered off. About 150 Palestine supporters made their way from Westminster and there were several flares and a couple of minor incidents.

A vigil for Israel

On Sunday, a vigil for Israel was held in Parliament Square. It was a sombre affair with readings and songs. A private Jewish security company provided personnel who could be seen around the perimeter. There was also a visible police presence amidst concerns that Palestinian supporters could attempt to disrupt the event.

In fact, one small group were ushered out of the square by police and then there was a shouted comment from another small group on the fringe of the gathering. One person was arrested. As the event was concluding, two Met PCs skilfully de-escalated an altercation between a group of four who had been part of the vigil and two others.

The Al Ahli Hospital vigil

The tragic destruction of the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza prompted an ‘emergency,’ vigil on Wednesday evening in Whitehall. On a rain-soaked evening, up to 3,000 were present as Whitehall became closed to traffic. Impassioned speeches and raucous chanting were the hallmarks of this event apart from a twenty-minute break for prayers.

Chants of ‘shame on you,’ appeared to be directed at the occupant of Downing Street rather than officers positioned behind the steel barriers and there were no reports of any untoward incidents.

Another major pro-Palestinian protest is scheduled for this Saturday beginning at Hyde Park. It was anticipated that this would conclude at the Israeli Embassy but speakers at Wednesday’s vigil suggested that Downing Street would again be the destination.

Another challenging day is in prospect for the Met and its BTP and City police partners.

Category: Ops

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