Several arrested at central London Gaza march as police keep order
A large central London march against Israel's war in Gaza went ahead with extra police deployed, and several people were arrested, including two carrying placards supporting Palestine Action.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A protest against Israel's war in Gaza took place in central London on Saturday lunchtime, with extra police deployed for the event. Scotland Yard said its policing presence would be significant because of both the numbers expected and the timing of the march. Between 7,000 and 10,000 people were expected to make their way through central London in support of Palestine.
The march came days after the anniversary of the October 7 attack on Israel. The Metropolitan Police acknowledged that the timing could inflame tensions, saying the event, so close to the anniversary of the terror attack on Israel, had the potential to have a greater impact on communities than previous national marches. Coverage also framed the day as one year since the so-called ceasefire in Gaza, during which more than 1,400 Palestinians have been killed. Gaza remains out of bounds to international journalists.
The Palestine Coalition has held 35 major protests over recent years. A pro-Israel counter demonstration by Stop the Hate took place just up the road at Scotland Yard. Police said they would use their powers to ensure order. Anyone who refused to remove a face covering could face arrest, and officers said they would take a zero tolerance approach to hate crime.
Several people were arrested at the march. Among them were a man and a woman carrying placards that declared support for Palestine Action.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Only on one channel | ||
| Expected attendance at the pro-Palestine march is 7,000 to 10,000 people. | Not reported by Channel 5 | |
| Extra police are deployed for a central London march against Israel's war in Gaza. | Not reported by Channel 5 | |
| Pro-Palestinian protests took place in London in relatively small numbers on the anniversary. | Not reported by ITV | |
| Since the ceasefire, Israel has killed more than 1,400 Palestinians, including at least two since dawn. | Not reported by ITV | |
| Stop the Hate plans a pro-Israel counter-demonstration near Scotland Yard. | Not reported by Channel 5 | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV News led with the policing operation around the march rather than the protest itself. It reported expected crowd numbers, the timing near the October 7 anniversary, a counter-demonstration and police powers on face coverings and hate crime. It also noted the Palestine Coalition's long run of major protests.
- “Here an extra policing is in place for a march in central London this lunchtime against Israel's war on Gaza.”
- “Between 7,000 and 10,000 people are expected to make their way through central London today”
- “anyone who refuses to remove a face covering could face arrest”
5 News Weekend focused on the outcome of the march, saying several people had been arrested and naming Palestine Action placards. It also framed the day as one year since the so-called ceasefire and said Gaza remains closed to international journalists. It gave no detail on police numbers or the counter-demonstration.
- “several people have been arrested in a huge march in central London over Israel's ongoing war in Gaza”
- “Among them, a man and a woman with placards declaring support for the prescribed organisation Palestine Action.”
- “which continues to be out of bounds to international journalists”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.