"I have approved the Metropolitan Police's request to ban the Al Quds march. I am satisfied doing so is necessary to prevent serious public disorder, due to the scale of the protest and multiple counter-protests, in the context of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East."
"The Al Quds march is uniquely contentious having originated in Iran and in London is organised by the Islamic Human Rights Commission, an organisation supportive of the Iranian regime. The power to ban a march had not been used since 2012."
"Should a stationary demonstration proceed, the police will be able to apply strict conditions. I expect to see the full force of the law applied to anyone spreading hatred and division instead of exercising their right to peaceful protest."
The Metropolitan Police received government approval to ban the annual Al Quds Day march scheduled for Sunday in London. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood authorized the ban to prevent serious public disorder, citing the scale of the protest, multiple counter-protests, and the ongoing Middle East conflict. The march, traditionally viewed as pro-Iranian though organizers claim it supports Palestine, will be prohibited from 16:00 Wednesday for one month. A stationary demonstration may proceed under strict police conditions. The Met stated the threshold for banning protests is high and the decision was not made lightly. Organizers criticized the ban as undermining freedom of expression.
Read at www.bbc.com
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