London police crackdown on Gaza protest evokes 19th-century repression

The policing of a weekend protest in London against Israel’s genocide in Gaza was alarmingly heavy-handed, bearing troubling echoes of the repression faced by early 19th-century reformers in the country.

Then as now, the state’s approach to suppress dissent raises urgent questions about the balance between security and civil liberties.

On Saturday, after previously agreeing to allow protesters to assemble from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square, police imposed draconian measures. Protesters were herded into sections, preventing individuals in one section from joining friends or family in others.

Police dictated the start and end times of speeches, even forbidding music before they began. More than 1,000 officers were deployed, their aggressive and provocative demeanour fostering a tense atmosphere even before the rally began.

Despite the provocations, the protesters – many of whom have participated in regular demonstrations over the past 15 months – remained resolute and peaceful. Young and old, Muslims, Jews and Christians, and people of all beliefs conveyed their message through chants and banners.

They maintained the dignity of their cause, despite the ongoing tragedy of the genocide, along with the complicity of the UK government and police restrictions.

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After the speeches, one protest organiser, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign director Ben Jamal, announced plans for a handful of people to lay flowers outside the BBC studios in a symbolic act of mourning.

Protesters were asked to clear the way for the small delegation, with organisers noting that if police blocked the route at any point, the flowers would be placed at the officers’ feet – highlighting their complicity in oppression.

Police escalation

As the group, including MPs, celebrities, an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor and myself, proceeded, we arrived at the top of Whitehall. Here as video evidence shows, police voluntarily allowed us to go through, telling us: “Make your way through please.”

Despite this, police then turned on protesters, escalating the situation and arresting more than 70 people. Ten people, including several over the age of 60, were charged with public order offences. This crackdown has been instrumentalised to tarnish our peaceful movement and undermine the legitimate quest for Palestinian self-determination.

In response to questions from Middle East Eye, London’s Metropolitan Police cited a statement issued by Commander Adam Slonecki, who led the policing operation on the weekend.

“We approached discussions in good faith, meeting regularly with the PSC [Palestine Solidarity Campaign] and with partners and community representatives … Our role is not to take sides. We police without fear or favour and we have taken the decisions we have motivated only by the need to ensure groups can exercise their right to peaceful protest, while also ensuring the wider community can go about their lives without serious disruption.”

Denying the freedom to march under threat of arrest undermines the very foundation of democratic societies

This tragedy resulted from a compromise forced upon protest organisers after months of negotiations with police, during which permission to march from the BBC to Whitehall was finally denied.

The refusal by police appears aligned with pressure from pro-Israel groups such as the Campaign Against Antisemitism, which stated that it had been calling for more than a year “for these marches to be banned”. Reports also indicate that pro-Israel groups, MPs and peers had lobbied Met Commissioner Mark Rowley to reroute the rally. Even Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis had spoken out against the march.

This brings me back to the memory of early 19th-century reformers. On that fateful day in 1819, peaceful protesters in Manchester had gathered to demand parliamentary reform and greater representation, only to face brutal repression from police, resulting in an estimated 15 deaths and hundreds of injuries, under the pretext of maintaining order.

While Saturday’s demonstration thankfully did not lead to any deaths, the suppression of protest rights was disturbingly reminiscent of the 1819 Peterloo Massacre.

Creeping authoritarianism

Police actions on Saturday represented a modern iteration of the same denial of the right to protest. Back then, the Seditious Meetings Act (1817) and other repressive laws required prior approval for gatherings, and allowed detention without trial.

Today, similar restrictions are imposed through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, granting authorities sweeping powers to limit protests under the guise of maintaining public order and imposing bail conditions that restrict public engagement.

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Further, the impact of the pro-Israel lobby groups and government complicity are strengthening executive powers at the expense of longstanding civil rights. This creeping authoritarianism undermines the democratic fabric of our society, endangering freedoms hard-won since the time of Peterloo.

Denying the freedom to march under threat of arrest undermines the very foundation of democratic societies, suppressing the public’s ability to demand accountability. This course of action will deepen inequalities and risk long-term instability. Protecting this fundamental right is critical to ensuring a fair, just and resilient society.

Restricting protest rights under the pretence of security is a slippery slope towards authoritarianism. It stifles dissent, alienates marginalised communities, and erodes trust in democratic institutions. The right to protest is a cornerstone of democracy, vital for holding power to account – but the restrictions on Saturday’s events illustrate how this right is being eroded in the UK.

This crackdown sets a dangerous precedent, not just for those advocating for Palestinian justice, but for all who fight against inequality, racism, environmental destruction and other social injustices.

In this critical moment, we must remember Peterloo’s lessons. The fight for justice and equality demands that we resist any attempt to silence voices calling for accountability and justice. Democracy, social cohesion and progress depend on it.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.