UK to Increase Police Powers in Response to Gaza Protests

Kokcha News Agency: UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has revealed that police powers will be expanded in response to ongoing large-scale protests in support of Gaza. This decision comes after approximately 500 people were detained during a Palestine Action demonstration in London.

Mahmood stated that the repeated large-scale protests have “created serious fear within the Jewish community.” She emphasized that while the right to protest is a fundamental freedom in the UK, it must be balanced with the right of others to live without fear.

The new measures will amend sections 12 and 14 of the 1986 Public Order Act, allowing police to consider the “cumulative impact” of frequent protests on local communities. Additionally, existing laws will be reviewed, and new steps may be taken to potentially ban protests altogether.

Opposition and Human Rights Groups React
Human rights organizations have criticized the arrests as “excessive interference with peaceful sit-ins.” Amnesty International stated that the detention of peaceful protesters “violates the UK’s human rights obligations.”

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch criticized the government for being “too late” to act, claiming that “pro-Palestinian protesters are abusing the right to protest, with many aiming to intimidate Jews.”

Liberal Democrat spokesperson Max Wilkinson argued that the new measures would “weaken the right to peaceful protest rather than stop antisemitic hate.”

492 Arrested in London Protest
On Saturday, 492 people were arrested during the Palestine Action protest in London. Some demonstrators sat silently in Trafalgar Square, holding signs that read, “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”

The Metropolitan Police stated that some protesters were physically removed from the area by teams of five officers. Police Federation Chair Paula Dodds called on the government to address the issue, saying, “Our officers are physically and emotionally exhausted. How can we ensure safety amidst such intense protests?”

Manchester Demonstration
Around 100 people also held a pro-Palestinian rally in Manchester city center. Authorities reminded protesters to “respect the mourning of the Jewish community” following a synagogue attack in Manchester on Thursday that left two people dead.

Police have increased security around synagogues and Jewish institutions across the country.