18th May, 2024
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Met. Police say they have arrested 17 people in connection with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) protest and football events in Central London on Saturday.
The Met Police, in a statement said today’s events in central London included a large march by the PSC, a counter protest, a protest at the Eritrean Embassy and several football events.
The police said officers had been on the ground engaging with all protestors reminding them of conditions that were in place for the march and protests designed to keep those with opposing views separate and protect the public.
“Where we have seen offences, or they have been reported to us, we have intervened, including on offensive placards and chants, violence and sexual assault.
“Officers intervened and arrested a man appearing to lead an offensive chant of “Intifada Revolution” and damage a traffic light in Regent Street.
“A man was arrested during the march when officers observed him carrying a coffin with offensive language on it. An officer was assaulted during a search of man who had made off from police – he was arrested,” the police said.
According to the Met Police, officers identified, intervened and arrested a man seen holding an offensive placard among the counter protest in Piccadilly Circus, adding that they stepped in to de-escalate an altercation between a man and a protestor and that the man was warned to stop, he did not, and was arrested.
The police also said a woman reported a sexual assault near Piccadilly Circus tube station, with officers acting to swiftly locate and arrest the suspect and support the victim, adding that two men were arrested during the march on suspicion of affray.
Chief Superintendent Colin Wingrove, who is leading this weekend’s policing operation, said: “We have worked with organisers of today’s events to ensure people could protest safely whilst at the same time minimising serious disruption to the community. Officers made swift interventions to make arrests where criminal offences were suspected.”
Giving a breakdown, the police said seven arrests were made during the PSC event.
The breakdown shows that a 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence and criminal damage, while at approximately 13.30hrs, a 68-year-old man was arrested in Langland Place, W1 on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence.
A 69-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault outside Piccadilly tube station; A 61-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault on Shaftsbury Avenue, W1; A 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer on Horseguards Avenue, SW1; Two men were arrested on suspicion of affray.
The police said in relation to the counter protest in Piccadilly Circus, a 74-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a provocation of violence on Great Windmill Street, W1.
The police added that 10 people were also arrested in relation to the football league play-off final policing operation.
A breakdown shows that a 26-year-old man was arrested for violent disorder at a pub on Marylebone Road; a 16-year-old man was arrested for ABH and possession with intent to supply Class A drugs at Wembley Stadium; a 37-year-old man was arrested for affray on Olympic Way; a 34-year-old woman was arrested for domestic assault and drunk and disorderly on Fulton Road, HA9; while a 46-year-old man was arrested for fraud and deception at Wembley Stadium.
Others are a 58-year-old man arrested for threatening or abusive behaviour on Olympic Way; an 18-year-old man arrested for drunk and disorderly at Wembley Stadium; an 18-year-old man arrested for possession of Class A drugs at Wembley Stadium; a man arrested for threatening or abusive behaviour at Wembley Stadium and a man arrested for a racially aggravated public order offence at on Olympic Way.