UK campaigners reject police attempt to delay protest over Palestine Action ban

Organisers of a protest against the UK government’s ban on Palestine Action have rejected a Metropolitan Police request to postpone the event after an attack on a synagogue in Manchester.

Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan wrote to Defend Our Juries (DOJ) - a campaign group that has staged regular protests against the proscription of Palestine Action - asking it to reconsider this Saturday’s protest, because it would require a “significant policing plan”.

In his letter, Adelekan highlighted that DOJ’s previous protests placed “significant pressure on policing and draw officers away from communities they serve to be in central London. This means less neighbourhood and response officers in their communities and less officers focusing on police crimes.

“Your last three events in central London have required over 2,500 to police, including dedicated Counter Terrorism officers as a result of the terrorism offences observed at your previous events,” he added.

In response, DOJ reiterated its intention to go ahead with the protest, urging police to dedicate their resources to protecting communities from reprisal attacks in the wake of Thursday's attack on a synagogue in Manchester, in which two people died, “rather than arresting those peacefully holding signs in opposition to the absurd and draconian ban of a domestic direct action group”. 

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