London Police Bans Pro-Hamas Rally Outside a Synagogue on Shabbat

Photo Credit: Alisdare Hickson / Flickr

Pro-Hamas rally near Trafalgar Square in London, October 29, 2023.

London’s Metropolitan Police announced Thursday night: “We have used our powers to prevent the Palestine Solidarity Campaign forming up in the vicinity of a synagogue ahead of its planned protest on Saturday, January 18. The conditions that have been imposed prevent anyone gathering in Portland Place and the surrounding area.”

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) scheduled a rally for January 18, in front of BBC headquarters, some 500 meters from the Orthodox Central Synagogue at 133-141 Great Portland Street.

People starting to arrive for the protest for Palestine outside Parliament ?? pic.twitter.com/2Q1dGEr4WF

— Palestine Solidarity Campaign (@PSCupdates) January 6, 2025

Community leaders and one of the UK’s most senior barristers have called on the police to relocate the pro-Hamas rally, citing concerns about the Metropolitan Police’s ability to safeguard Jewish life in the city, the Jewish Chronicle reported.

Rabbi Barry Lerer of the Central Synagogue told the Jewish Chronicle that protests linked to Hamas were disrupting the synagogue’s operations, with events being canceled and congregants facing intimidation on their way to worship. He added that members of the community had reported hearing chants calling for the “genocide of Jews” to the police, but these complaints were “met with a shrug.”

On Thursday evening, the police announced they had imposed conditions under the Public Order Act to prevent the planned rally from taking place near the synagogue, citing the risk of “serious disruption” during Shabbat services. The Metropolitan Police stated that the decision was made after considering input from local community and business representatives, including members of the synagogue which is located “a very short distance” from the proposed rally point.

Earlier in the week, the police had instructed the PSC protest organizers to modify their plans to avoid disrupting synagogue worshippers and warned that conditions would be enforced if the rally proceeded as planned.

In response, the PSC condemned what it described as the use of “repressive powers,” asserting that their marches were not hostile to Jewish people. “The Palestine coalition rejects the implication that our marches are somehow hostile to or a threat to Jewish people,” the group said. They also noted that, according to the Met Police, there had been no incidents of threats to synagogues associated with previous marches.

However, according to the Jewish Chronicle, previous marches sanctioned by the police have had an impact on other London synagogues, such as Western Marble Arch and Westminster. These marches disrupted services and caused Jewish individuals to stay away from worship.