Met Police announced successful repression of antiwar protest

The Met Police has issued a statement praising itself for its decision to ban today’s London march against the Iran war. The force allied with the Israel lobby to ban the annual Al Quds Day march and limit it to a ‘static rally’. Then it boasted how great its decision had been because its repression of British citizens’ right to march in peaceful protest had caused some not to attend. It ended by thanking police officers for coming from all over the place to prevent an anti-war protest and “keeping protestors and Londoners safe”:

News – 15 March 2026 17:05

Public order update

Today’s policing operation at the Al Quds day protest and counter-protest concluded this afternoon.

Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan, Public Order lead said:

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“Our policing plan worked, with both groups kept apart and we saw no attempts from either side to breach conditions by marching. Both sets dispersed as planned from 15:00hrs.

“We saw significantly fewer people attend than we had anticipated. The restrictions and conditions meant many people chose to stay away and not to attend the protest or counter-protest.

“This shows our decision to apply for the ban was the right one. A static protest meant it was easier for officers to keep the two groups apart and prevent serious public disorder.

“We made 12 arrests including for showing support for a proscribed organisation, affray and for threatening or abusive behaviour. We are also investigating chants made by a speaker at the Al Quds protest.

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“As I said from the outset, the decision to ban the protest march does not set a precedent and we will continue to consider each protest on a case-by-case basis.

“I want to extend my thanks to the officers, including those from across the country who supported us. Their professionalism and commitment helped us to keep protestors and Londoners safe.”

Yeah, well done lads and lasses. You protected us all from the big bad mob that doesn’t want the UK to assist two genocidal regimes from killing people. Bravo 👍.

Met Police, happy to repress

The Met doesn’t say so in its statement, but the “chants made by a speaker” were rapper Bob Vylan repeating his Glastonbury 2025 “Death death to the IDF” chant. As well he might, since police and the CPS already looked at the exact same chant then and decided just four months ago, in December 2025, that the chant merited no further action. Ok then, ok now — unless of course the point is to smear the protest rather than to prosecute.

But the dishonesty ran even deeper. Both the anti-war protest and the several phone-booths worth of pro-war, pro-Israel counter-protesters were treated as if equal in size and significance — when in fact, tens of thousands still turned up to demand peace, despite police and state repression:

Contrast this with the open racism and tiny numbers of the pro-Israel hate-gathering:

Contrary to its claims of keeping both ‘sides’ apart, sources at the scene said the Met also allowed far-right pro-Israel ‘auditors’ in among the peaceful anti-war protest.

In reality, the Met Police and its bosses in Whitehall and Downing Street are repressing the will of the British public. More than twice as many UK people oppose the US-Israel war of aggression on Iran. Almost as many oppose the Starmer regime allowing the US to use British airbases to attack Iran. Even more certainly would, if they understood that this enabling consists of directly refuelling and re-arming the carpet-bombing B-52 high-altitude bombers Trump is using to slaughter Iranian civilians:

Keir Starmer has turned Britain into a police state over the heads, and against the will, of the people of this country. He is a war criminal just as surely and just as guiltily as Trump, Netanyahu and their racist enablers.

Featured image via Middle East Eye