London: Al-Quds day march cancelled over public order concerns
UK authorities block demonstration amid Middle East tensions and calls for Iranian Revolutionary Guard designation
A march planned for next Sunday in central London as part of Al-Quds Day has been cancelled following intervention by British authorities, according to the newspaper Jewish News.
The event, which was expected to express support for the Palestinian cause and Iran, was halted after concerns about public order were raised.
The head of the Metropolitan Police, Mark Rowley, reportedly asked Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to prevent the demonstration from taking place. Authorities cited potential risks to public safety.
After discussions between the police, the Home Office and London municipal officials, it was decided that the march would not go ahead. The planned demonstration came at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East, including reports of a recent crackdown by Iranian authorities on domestic dissent and the ongoing Israeli-American military campaign against Iran.
Al-Quds Day was established in 1979 by Ruhollah Khomeini, following the creation of the Islamic Republic. The annual event calls for opposition to Israel and support for the Palestinian cause and has been marked by demonstrations in cities worldwide, including London since the 1980s.
The UK advocacy group Campaign Against Antisemitism welcomed the decision to cancel the march but said further steps were needed. The organization called on the government to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group, arguing that the move was necessary for national security.
Mahmood confirmed that she had approved the police request to block the event, stating that the decision was intended to prevent serious public disorder amid rising international tensions linked to the conflict in the Middle East.