Palestine Solidarity Campaign director Benjamin Jamal was among three additional anti-Israel activists charged on Monday with public order offense for allegedly defying police restrictions during a London Saturday protest, according to statements by the Metropolitan Police and activist groups.
Jamal was accused of inciting others to not comply with MET conditions setting a route for a protest march to the British Broadcasting Corporation so that it would not come close to a synagogue during sabbath services.
The PSC leader said in a Monday statement that he would contest the charges at a February 21 court date. Jamal said that the government and law enforcement were engaged in an assault on freedom of assembly and protest as part of an effort to silence their movement.
The UK government allegedly wanted to distract from complicity in a supposed genocide in Gaza. Jamal accused the government of seeking to create disorder to justify bans on future marches.
On Sunday nine people were charged by the MET, including Stop the War Coalition chief steward Chris Nineham and activist Piers Corbyn, brother of Islington MP Jeremy Corbyn. Corbyn and Hayes and Harlington MP John McDonnell were both interviewed by police for their involvement in the protest, according to Nineham.
'Peaceful protest'
Nineham said in a Monday video statement that despite a peaceful protest he was violently arrested and detained for 19 hours. He reportedly has been banned from attending PSC marches but it was unclear if this is a temporary measure. The Stop the War leader warned that political pressure from pro-Israel activists had allegedly influenced the police, and cautioned that the precedent could be extended to other activist movements.
"We must oppose this crackdown," said Nineham.
A total of 77 people were arrested on Saturday, 65 of them for violations of police conditions. At least 60 of those arrested were detained after they pushed past a police line north of Whitehall into Trafalgar Square, and attempted to push past a second line. The MET updated Sunday that following the initial arrests, 25 people had been bailed and 48 remained in custody.
Others were arrested for various crimes, including assaults. Three officers were spat on during confrontations. One man was arrested for a placard that indicated support for Hamas and Hezbollah, which are proscribed terrorist organizations. Another person was arrested for inciting racial hatred, for a sign that paired a swastika with the Israeli flag. On Friday a 61-year-old woman was arrested for her inciting others to breach the public order act conditions.
“Yesterday we saw a deliberate effort, including by protest organizers, to breach conditions and attempt to march out of Whitehall," MET Commander Adam Slonecki said in a statement. “This was a serious escalation in criminality and one which we are taking incredibly seriously. Officers have worked around the clock to pursue those involved."
The MET said that PSC violated conditions despite agreeing to a static protest instead of a march, and updates from the MET to protestors prior to the march and as it progressed.
PSC, Stop the War, and British politicians have denied the police account of events, asserting that police were promoting a misleading narrative in order to "justify their repressive actions."
The organization published footage that they said depicted police allowing protesters to pass Whitehall police lines, with one officer allegedly saying, "If you'd like to make your way through, please move through."
PSC said that the protesters were attempting to lay flowers at Trafalgar Square on behalf of Palestinian children killed during the Israel-Hamas war. The protesters were allegedly waiting for a delegation to pass through a second police line at Trafalgar Square, but while they were waiting the police allegedly swooped in to make arrests.
"At no stage was there any organized breach of the conditions imposed by the police," said PSC.
Leeds East MP Richard Burgon said on X on Sunday that he was alarmed by police treatment of Corbyn, McDonnel, and protesters.
"There is now clear evidence coming to light that shows the reality of what took place, and that runs contrary to what has been alleged," said Burgon. "The anti-protest laws introduced by the Tories were an affront to our democratic freedoms and their implementation is clearly undermining long-held civil rights and the freedom of expression. They should be revoked."
PSC said in their statement that the MET had issued harsh and complex restrictions on the protest less than a day before the protest. On Wednesday MET set a route for the march, after discussions with PSC failed to produce agreement on a location.
The march had originally been organized to protest supposed British Broadcasting Corporation's pro-Israel news coverage, but after the initial January 9 conditions placed by the MET, the rally evolved to include a demonstration against restrictions on protests. Ahead of the rally PSC demanded a cessation of the restrictions, and continued to do so well into the event.
The Jewish community, including Chief British Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, had expressed concern that the protesters could disrupt the synagogue and worshippers. British Jews have expressed anger that they have been subjected to weekly protests in the city.
"Conditions were put in place after taking into account the cumulative impact of the prolonged period of protest on Jewish Londoners, particularly when protests are in the vicinity of synagogues often on Saturdays, the Jewish holy day," the MET said Sunday.