DEMO VIOLENCE
Four cops injured after ‘fireworks thrown’ at Pro-Palestine rally in Trafalgar Square – as 29 protesters arrested
Rishi Sunak has warned protesters against disrupting Remembrance events next weekend
FOUR cops were left injured after pro-Palestine demonstrators shot fireworks at officers and members of the public.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed 29 protesters were arrested by today before a Section 35 Dispersal Order was rolled out across Trafalgar Square to crack down on a violent group assaulting cops.
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Two were arrested on suspicion of breaching section 12 of the Terrorism Act after displaying a banner appearing to support a proscribed terror group.
The Met said in a statement: "A Section 35 Dispersal Order has been authorised by Superintendent May- Robinson at 6.43pm in order to disperse a group on Trafalgar Square who have been firing fireworks into crowds & towards police officers.
"The Dispersal Order will remain in place until 1am hours 5/11/23."
Arrests were also made for inciting racial hatred, other racially motivated crimes, violence and assaulting a police officer, the force added.
MORE ON PROTESTS
Police noted how retrospective facial recognition was used in tracking down protesters breaking the law.
It came as huge crowds gathered up and down the country on Saturday to demand Israel declare a ceasefire in its war against Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
Fears are now growing over demos disrupting the Remembrance Sunday events at the Cenotaph next weekend.
It is the fourth weekend of protests - with photos showing a sea of Palestinian flags near Trafalgar Square in London.
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Protesters were heard chanting and "Gaza, stop the massacre" and "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" as they waved flares in the air.
The "river to the sea" chant is hugely controversial because it effectively promotes the destruction of the entire Jewish state of Israel.
Cops rushed to respond to a group of protesters who sat down and blocked Oxford Circus and arrested three people.
The force said on Saturday evening it had made a total of eleven arrests.
the Met said: "So far today we have made a total of 11 arrests.
"The demonstration is beginning to leave Trafalgar Square and officers remain with a smaller group of protestors who have gathered in Pall Mall.
"We will update you later on with details of those arrests."
The first was arrested after they were seen displaying a placard that could incite hated with the other two breached conditions of Section 12 of the Public Order Act and assaulted an officer.
Meanwhile in Newcastle thousands gathered this afternoon outside the city's museum.
Demonstrators were seen waving flags reading "Israel get out of Palestine".
It comes as Rishi Sunak warned pro-Palestine protesters against disrupting Remembrance weekend earlier this week.
The Prime Minister insisted events next weekend must be protected, saying organising a protest march was “provocative and disrespectful”.
A two-minute silence will be held at 11am next Saturday along with the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall, which is attended by senior members of the Royal Family.
Mr Sunak has called on the Home Secretary Suella Braverman to give the police all the resources they need — which could even include using powers to have the protests banned.
The PM said: “There is a clear and present risk that the Cenotaph and other war memorials could be desecrated, something that would be an affront to the British public and the values we stand for.
“The right to remember, in peace and dignity, those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for those freedoms must be protected.
“I have asked the Home Secretary to support the Met Police in doing everything necessary to protect the sanctity of Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday.”
The Met has said it will do its best to stop disruptions happening.
It said: "We're aware of media reporting and social media commentary suggesting next weekend's remembrance events could be disrupted by protest.
";The protest organisers have not indicated any plans to protest on Remembrance Sunday.
"They do intend to hold a significant demonstration on the Saturday but they are engaging with our officers and have said they are willing to avoid the Whitehall area, recognising the sensitivities around that date.
"This is a weekend with huge national significance. We will use all the powers available to us to ensure anyone intent on disrupting it will not succeed."
He spelled out how Public Order laws meant he could apply to the Home Secretary and London Mayor Sadiq Khan to get protests banned.
CEASEFIRE HOPES DASHED
Last week the Hamas chief Ghazi Hamad told Iranian TV the terror group will not stop until Israel is annihilated.
Britain’s Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis said such calls were “an irresponsible stepping stone to yet more Hamas brutality”.
Hamad said: “Israel is a country that has no place on our land. We must remove that country. Does that mean the annihilation of Israel? – Yes, of course.”
The Hamas leader added their legion of thugs are ready to keep repeating October 7 style attacks until there are no Jewish people left in the tiny Middle Eastern state.
"Nobody should blame us for the things we do,” he said. "On October 7, October ten, October one million – everything we do is justified.”
On October 7, Hamas terrorists launched an attack on Israeli communities killing more than 1,400 people and taking at least 240 hostages - including small children.
In retaliation, Israel carried out strikes on Gaza and has now sent troops and tanks into the tiny enclave which is controlled by the fanatical terror group.
More than 9,200 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza so far, two thirds of them women and minors, the Gaza Health Ministry said, without providing a breakdown between civilians and fighters.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
More than 1,400 people have died on the Israeli side, mainly civilians killed during Hamas' initial attack.
Rocket fire by Gaza militants into Israel has continued, disrupting life for millions of people and forcing an estimated 250,000 people to evacuate towns in northern and southern Israel.
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