LONDON

More than 70 people were arrested in London Saturday following clashes with police as pro-Palestinian protesters attempted to reach Trafalgar Square in a solidarity rally just hours before a cease-fire agreement is set to take effect in Gaza.

Thousands had gathered earlier in Whitehall for a rally organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) to show support for Palestinians ahead of a planned Gaza cease-fire set to take effect Sunday morning.

However, tensions flared when protesters clashed with police, with a large group breaking through a police line and marching to Trafalgar Square, defying the Metropolitan Police’s strict conditions.

According to a Metropolitan Police statement, 77 people have been arrested for breaching the Public Order Act.

'This is the highest number of arrests we have seen'

Commander Adam Slonecki, who led the policing operation, said in a statement: “We have policed more than 20 national protests organized by the PSC since October 2023."

“This is the highest number of arrests we have seen, in response to the most significant escalation in criminality," he added.

“I am quite confident this was a coordinated breach with the intention being to reach the BBC at Portland Place in defiance of the conditions," he said.

“We are in possession of footage from officers’ body worn cameras, from CCTV and from social media. We know who was involved in leading the movement of so many people through police lines. Investigations are now underway and we will make every effort to bring prosecutions against those we identify," he explained.

Meanwhile, Stop the War said the police have arrested the organization's chief steward, Chris Nineham, claiming the police “jumped on him” and “forced him on the ground.”

In a statement, the campaign group said: “This is an outrageous assault on the Palestine movement. It is an unacceptable assault on civil liberties.

“Chris Nineham must be released without charge. We refuse to be intimidated.”

What happened?

The rally, initially planned as a static protest in Whitehall, was intended to draw attention to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

However, protesters attempted to move toward Trafalgar Square, despite restrictions placed by the police to prevent such actions.

The Met Police had earlier imposed strict conditions to prevent demonstrators from reaching key locations, including the square and the BBC’s headquarters in Portland Place, both of which had been targeted by protesters in previous rallies.

According to a statement from the Met Police on the social media platform X, a group of demonstrators forced their way through a police line and made their way to the northwest corner of Trafalgar Square.

Authorities issued a warning to the group, urging them to disperse or face arrest. "Anyone in that group should now disperse and leave the area. Anyone remaining in breach of the conditions, or inciting further breaches, will be arrested," the police statement read.

A large contingent of protesters continued to march from Trafalgar Square, holding a banner that read: “Labour, Tories, BBC. You show Russia’s crimes but hide Israel’s. Why?”

The rally, which had drawn supporters of the Palestinian cause from across London, was part of a series of protests that have taken place in the UK amid growing calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. While many protesters have adhered to the designated protest zones, some have clashed with police over the restrictions on their movements.

As the conflict in Gaza continues to dominate headlines, the protests show little sign of slowing, with demonstrators demanding greater international pressure on Israel and an end to the violence.

Qatar announced a three-phase ceasefire agreement late Wednesday evening to end more than 15 months of deadly Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, with the ceasefire set to take effect at 8:30 a.m. local time (0630GMT) on Sunday.

Nearly 47,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, were killed and more than 110,700 injured in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, according to local health authorities.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.