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Prominent British Jews reject police ban on Gaza ceasefire march in London

Officials said the planned route strayed too close to two synagogues after pro-Israel groups, MPs and the chief rabbi lodged objections
Pro-Palestinian supporters chant slogans behind a Metropolitan Police (MET) officer during a rally in central London on 28 May 2024 (Benjamin Cremel/AFP)

Hundreds of British Jews, including prominent legal and cultural figures and Holocaust survivors, have signed a statement urging London's Metropolitan Police to reverse a ban on a pro-Palestine rally marching in the UK's capital from the BBC's headquarters to Whitehall this coming Saturday.

Officials previously approved the route proposed by a pro-Palestine coalition in November but reversed course after political pressure, with police saying last week that the route was too close to two synagogues.

Pro-Israel groups, MPs and peers had reportedly urged Met Commissioner Mark Rowley to order the rally to be rerouted.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, who made representations to the police in December, accused the Met of failing to keep the Jewish community safe before the new decision was made.

Now, more than 700 British Jews who disagree with him have hit back by signing an open letter condemning the restrictions and calling on the police to allow the march to take place along the originally agreed route.

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Signatories include actress Miriam Margolyes, comedian Alexei Sayle and singer-songwriter Leon Rosselson.

'There are no substantiated cases of synagogues or worshippers having been targeted'

Senior lawyers Sir Geoffrey Bindman KC and Sir Stephen Sedley KC have also signed the letter, as did many Holocaust survivors.

The letter decries "an orchestrated attempt to portray the marches as a threat to those attending synagogues", adding: "As Jews we are shocked at this brazen attempt to interfere with hard-won political freedoms by conjuring up an imaginary threat to Jewish freedom of worship."

The letter further notes: "There are no substantiated cases of synagogues or worshippers having been targeted in any way by march participants."

"Jewish participants, especially in the Jewish Bloc numbering hundreds and into the thousands, have not felt threatened but rather warmly welcomed by fellow demonstrators."

Police changed original decision

The original route for the march was publicly announced on 30 November by a coalition, which includes the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the Muslim Association of Britain, the Palestinian Forum in Britain and Friends of Al-Aqsa amongst other groups.

Its stated reason for starting the protest outside BBC headquarters was to "protest against the pro-Israel bias of its coverage".

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According to a statement by the coalition last Wednesday, the route had been agreed with the police before then.

The coalition said the reason police gave for the new decision opposing the route last week "is that our march could cause disruption to a nearby synagogue".

The Met said on Wednesday that the protest risked "causing serious disruption" and that they were "hopeful that the PSC [Palestine Solidarity Campaign] will now alter their plans in light of our position". 

On Friday, MPs from several parties, along with cultural figures and campaigners, signed a statement urging the police to allow the march to proceed.

They included Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Steve North, the president of Britain's largest trade union, Unison. 

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