Met urges organisers to move student march planned for 7 October anniversary

London’s Metropolitan Police has urged organisers of a pro-Palestinian student march to move the event from the anniversary of the 7 October attacks on Israel. Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman said the force had been unable to identify the organisers, who use the name University of London Coalition. About 300 students are expected to march from King’s College London in the Strand to University College London in Holborn on Wednesday.

Harman said many Londoners would be marking the date as a day of mourning, with vigils planned to remember those killed in the attacks. He said concerns had been raised about the impact of the march on students and staff, particularly Jewish people, as well as the route and timing. He encouraged people planning to attend to exercise their right to protest on another date.

The force said it had written to four London universities, asking them to engage with students and staff and take reasonable steps to ensure people did not feel excluded, targeted or unsafe. The police acknowledged the importance of freedom of expression, peaceful protest and academic debate. The letter also referred to findings from the Community Security Trust concerning an increase in antisemitic incidents at UK universities since the 2023 attacks.

A march can be banned only when police believe it would result in serious public disorder and restrictions would not prevent that disorder. Such a request would require approval from the home secretary. Harman said that threshold had not been met.

If the event proceeds, the Met said it would use its powers to impose suitable conditions on its route and timing. Anyone breaching the conditions could be arrested, while officers would take a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime. The force expects more than 600 officers to police several events in London over the coming week, including another pro-Palestinian protest and a counter-protest.

Harman said the events would place pressure on policing resources but insisted decisions were based on crime and disorder concerns rather than political preference.