Met will not arrest protesters who chant ‘from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’

The Metropolitan Police will allow pro-Palestinian protesters to chant “from the river to the sea, Palestine must be free” despite the Home Secretary asking them to crack down on anti-Semitic slogans.

Scotland Yard said that demonstrators at a march in central London on Saturday would be allowed to use the chant as long as it was not being used to incite violence or intimidate Jewish people.

Earlier this week, Suella Braverman said the chant had become a “staple of anti-Semitic discord” and was “widely understood as a demand for the destruction of Israel”.

It comes amid rising tensions in the UK, following the events of Oct 7, when Hamas militants slaughtered 1,400 Israeli civilians and the ensuing bombardment of Gaza.

Police have been told to report any anti-Semitic or extremist behaviour by foreign nationals at pro-Palestinian protests to the Home Office so their visas could be revoked.

Speaking at a briefing ahead of the march, organised by the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign (PSC), Ade Adelekan, the Met’s deputy assistant commissioner, said that the “river to the sea chant” had been heard “frequently at demonstrations for many years”.

“We are well aware of the strength of feeling in relation to it,” he added.

He added that while there were certain scenarios where chanting the words “could be unlawful”, to do so as part of a “wider protest” would not result in arrests.

Mr Adelekan said officers would take action if it appeared the words were being chanted outside a synagogue, Jewish school, or at a Jewish person in an attempt to intimidate them.

Last weekend the PSC organised a similar march in which a pro-Palestinian stage was erected near the Cenotaph in Whitehall.

It attracted criticism and led to a row between Westminster City Council and the Met over who was responsible.

This weekend, the Met said, the platform would be moved to nearby King Charles Street.

The force added that restrictions would be in place around the Israeli embassy and warned that protesters who deviated from the defined route could be arrested.

Police have been told to report any anti-semitic or extremist behaviour by foreign nationals at pro-Palestine protests to the Home Office so their visas could be revoked.

Robert Jenrick, the Immigration Minister, has written to all 43 police forces in England and Wales to ask them to report any foreign individuals caught up in any potential unlawful or extremist activities for their right to stay in the UK to be reviewed.

The Telegraph also understands that the Home Office has already written to a handful of foreign nationals warning them that the Government is minded to revoke their visas because of their involvement in anti-semitic behaviour following the Hamas terror attack on Israel.

It follows a similar move by Gérald Darmanin, France’s interior minister, who has ordered that all foreigners who commit anti-Semitic acts be expelled immediately from the country. Three have already been thrown out of the country.

Ministers already have the powers to revoke visas to work, live or study in the UK if the individuals are judged “not conducive to the public good” or a threat to national security. However, they have largely been restricted to taking action against hate preachers.

Mr Jenrick and Mr Philp said: “A UK visa is a privilege, not an entitlement. Those that abuse it by harming our citizens and values forfeit those benefits. In those instances the Home Office will not hesitate to enforce the law and revoke the temporary leave of such individuals.”

They added: “the guarantee that individuals are able to exercise their rights to freedom of speech must be coupled with certainty that there will be zero tolerance for anti-semitism and glorification of proscribed terrorist groups.”

‘Sickening displays of anti-Semitism’

“We’ve seen some sickening displays of anti-Semitism and glorification for the terrorism of Hamas,” said a government source.

“If those in the UK on visas behave in this manner, it is clearly conducive to the public good that they have their visa revoked and be removed, as the law permits.

“It’s important that the British Jewish community know that they are protected and we establish basic norms of conduct for those staying in the UK.”

The move comes ahead of an anticipated second weekend of protests. Some 30,000 joined the march and demonstration in London, where there were 15 arrests.

Vice-chancellors have already warned students that they face criminal investigations if they express support for Hamas terrorists.

Students are understood to have been reported to the police after Palestine societies at some universities praised Hamas on social media after the attack.

Academics ‘justified killings’

Academics have also been accused of justifying the attacks by Hamas militants on civilians in online posts, including one that said the killings were a “consequence” for “partying on stolen land”.

Commander Dominic Murphy, from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said that police remained conscious that incidents overseas could “inspire events in the UK”.

He also confirmed that counter-terror officers would be deployed at Saturday’s protest

“This is not counter-terrorism keeping a watchful eye on what will be lawful protest.

“It is about us ensuring that where people breach the Terrorism Act, we are there on hand to deal with that,” he added.