London protest weekend sees major marches across central streets
A busy London protest weekend is already underway, with marches and demonstrations expected to bring thousands of people to central London streets. From Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening, the capital will host multiple rallies, each with its own message and planned route, prompting road restrictions, police presence, and calls for calm.
One of the main events, a march titled For the Children, will begin at 1pm on Saturday near Wellington Arch on Park Lane. The route takes protesters through key Westminster roads including Grosvenor Square, Victoria Street, Artillery Row and Horseferry Road, with organisers calling attention to issues affecting children in conflict zones. A separate event organised by the Palestine Coalition will be held as a static demonstration near the Embassy of Israel on Kensington Road between 12.30pm and 2.30pm, under conditions set out by the Public Order Act.
Looking ahead to Sunday, the annual Al Quds Day demonstration will assemble at 2.30pm at Marble Arch, before processing up Oxford Street and concluding at Portland Place with a static protest. Restrictions have also been placed on this march, which must finish by 5.30pm. In previous years, Saturday protests were prevented from taking place near Portland Place due to concerns about its proximity to a synagogue during Shabbat hours.
A counter-demonstration titled Stop The Hate has also been registered for Sunday, taking place at Oxford Circus at the same time as the Al Quds rally, adding to the potential for disruption in the area.
Chief Inspector Stuart Bell, who is overseeing the weekend’s policing efforts, said the force’s priority is to protect public safety while allowing the right to peaceful protest.
“We are expecting this to be a busy weekend in London and have carefully considered the impact of the different protests, and counter protest, on communities across London,”
he said. “We are confident that appropriate measures are in place to prevent serious disruption and ensure the events take place peacefully.”
He added that officers were in discussion with both community leaders and the organisers of all planned demonstrations, reinforcing the Met’s commitment to acting “without fear or favour and within the legal framework available to us.”
For Londoners planning to travel through central areas, particularly around Park Lane, Kensington, Marble Arch, and Oxford Circus, delays and rerouted traffic are likely. Keeping an eye on updates from Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police may help avoid unnecessary hold-ups.
For those wanting to understand their rights or responsibilities when attending a public demonstration, the Metropolitan Police provides guidance on protesting in public via its official advice page.
For more updates on demonstrations, civic events, and how they affect life in the capital, visit EyeOnLondon Westminster.
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