Seven people have been charged with a range of offences following marches through London on Saturday – with police confirming fifteen officers were injured.
The Met’s deputy assistant commissioner said the force faced a “really challenging day” with officers making 145 arrests during the pro-Palestinian demonstration and counter-protest by far-right groups.
Laurence Taylor told Sky News the force was “surprised” by the level of violence from counter-protesters.
He said that seeing violence among protesters from 10am was “unprecedented”, and there could have been “serious disorder” if counter-protesters had been allowed to reach pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
The seven people who have been charged will appear in court in the coming weeks.
Their charges relate to offences including assault, possession of weapons, criminal damage, public order, inciting racial hatred and possession of drugs.
Those charged range in age from 21 to 75. Just two of the seven are from London.
Investigations are continuing into “a number of other incidents”, police said.
Mr Taylor, who led Saturday’s policing operation, said: “Public order policing doesn’t end when demonstrators go home.
“We have teams of officers who continue to build cases against those in custody and launch investigations into those who come to our attention when images and videos are shared on social media,” he said.
“Since the end of yesterday’s demonstration we’ve published appeals in relation to six incidents and I have no doubt there will be more to follow. Our colleagues at the British Transport Police have published a further two appeals.
“We urge anyone who has information about the identity of suspects, or who has footage or photos of further potential offences, to get in touch so we can take the appropriate action.”
John Harvey, 75 from Hackney in east London, and 23-year-old Ethan Stapely from Norfolk were remanded to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court tomorrow. Harvey has been charged with criminal damage while Stapely was charged with resisting arrest.
Four of the men were bailed to appear in Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 30 November. Taylor Warne, 21 from Kent, was charged with possession of class A drugs.
James Buckley, 42 from Manchester, was charged with possession of an offensive weapon while 48-year-old William Duncan from West Lothian in Scotland was charged with being drunk and disorderly.
Karl Jordan, 47 from Hounslow, west London, was charged with assault on an emergency worker.
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‘Significant disorder’ from counter-protesters
Meanwhile, Sam Fairclough, 33, from Flintshire in Wales, was bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 1 December, charged with possession of an offensive weapon.
The charges follow investigations led by detectives from the Met‘s Counter Terrorism Command and the Public Order Crime Team.
The force said they made 91 arrests on Saturday to prevent a breach of the peace. A “significant number” of these arrests were counter-protesters arrested in Pimlico when they tried to confront people in the pro-Palestinian march.
Those who were arrested only to prevent a breach of the peace and not for any other offence have now been released, police said.
Arresting people for this reason “is a power officers have available to them where there is an imminent threat of harm”, the force said.
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“Once the imminent threat has passed, it is normal for those arrested to be released. Only where it continues will a person be put before the courts.”
Hundreds of thousands of people took part in a march in the capital on Saturday, calling for a ceasefire in Israel’s war against Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Skirmishes broke out between police and the far-right groups gathered to protest against the demonstration taking place on Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of World War One, when the UK commemorates its war dead.
Around 150 pro-Palestinian protesters were intercepted by officers after breaking away from the march through London. It is understood that not all of these protesters were arrested.
https://news.sky.com/story/seven-charged-with-offences-following-saturdays-london-demonstrations-as-police-confirm-15-officers-injured-13006525
