Met Police accused of 'gaslighting' by claiming Oxford Street wasn't 'shut-down' by protesters

The Metropolitan Police is standing its ground after denying claims that Oxford Street had been "closed down" on one of the busiest shopping days of the year due to pro-Palestine protests.

Hundreds of people marched through central London on Saturday, rallying against Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza. Some businesses, including Zara and Puma, closed their doors as demonstrators urged shoppers to boycott “Israeli-linked” brands.

Protesters outside one of Zara's Oxford Street stores chanted “Zara, Zara, you can’t hide, stop supporting genocide”. Leaflets distributed by protest organisers Sisters Uncut said: “No Christmas as usual in a genocide. The UK is complicit."

Demonstrators chanted "shut it down" outside a Puma store on Carnaby Street, which was brought to a virtual standstill due to the crowds. The Metropolitan Police said the protest was a pre-planned event and that no arrests had been made.

Responding to suggestions that the area had been shut down as a result of the rally, the force said this "isn’t really an accurate reflection of today’s events". It added: "While a large group of protestors walked down the road, traffic and pedestrians were still able to get around. Officers were with the group throughout and the level of disruption was monitored closely."

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"Some shops did decide to close their doors for a short time whilst the protest passed, but then re-opened and have carried on with their day’s trading.The area has been packed with people and as you’d expect two days before Christmas. It’s still very busy with lots of shoppers and tourists who have largely been able to carry on as normal."

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Met Police Chief Superintendent Dan Ivey said: "Facts matter. No one brought 'Oxford Street to a halt'. A group of 500 walked down one side of Oxford St, traffic freely flowing on other side, with brief stop outside couple of stores Majority of shoppers enjoying themselves without any disruption!'

The Met is now facing backlash for its comments, with people accusing the force of downplaying the level of disruption. One X user wrote: "This is pure gaslighting 'it didn’t happen' - YES IT DID. We all saw it! What is wrong with you liars.

Dennis Noel Kavanagh, a lawyer and director of the Gay Men’s Network, added: "The word 'largely' is doing a lot of work in that last sentence huh. Seems to me you’re telling us to get used to this and you’ll do twitter PR for mobs closing down shops."

"Shops would not choose to close, even for a “short time” on one of the busiest days of the year unless they felt intimidated by the mobs outside," one follower added. Another said: "No mention of the stress, anxiety and intimidation of shoppers facing huge hostile crowds then?

I certainly wouldn't want to be anywhere near a march like that. But you lot happily stand by and allow it to happen. As per usual."

'Christmas is cancelled'

One critic pointed to a post by Sisters Uncut, suggesting that disruption may have been part of the plan. Sharing footage of Saturday's protest, the group wrote: "More than 20,000 Palestinians have been murdered by Israel’s brutal siege. We say, NO BUSINESS AS USUAL AS PEOPLE ARE TRAPPED UNDER RUBBLE. CHRISTMAS IS CANCELLED."

The move is likely to add further pressure on the Met Police over its handling of protests in the capital. In November Suella Braverman was sacked as home secretary after suggesting in an unauthorised op-ed for the Times that the force was "playing favourites" with pro-Palestine supporters.

Critics suggested that this spurred far-right counter-protesters to flock to London on Armistice Day, some of whom had violent clashes with both police and people marching in support of Palestine.

Why are some businesses being boycotted over Israeli-links?

McDonalds, Starbucks, Zara and Puma are just some of the companies being targeted by the controversial Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement, which included boycotting of businesses linked to the country, the BDS movement says it is "urges action to pressure Israel to comply with international law". Calls to boycott Puma stem from the firm’s sponsorship of the Israel Football Association (IFA), which includes football teams in illegal Israeli settlements.

In October activists called for the boycott of Zara after Israeli franchisee Joey Schwebel hosted a campaign event at his home for far-right lawmaker Ben-Gvir, the Times of Israel reported. Zara faced further criticism in December over a campaign featuring mannequins with missing limbs surrounded by rubble, which some said resembled the horrific scenes of war-torn Gaza.

While the BDS movement describes itself as both non-violent and anti-racist, critics have accused it of anti-Semitism. It denies this, arguing it is wrong to conflate anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism.

However, the US Anti-Defamation League has accused it of using "divisive and inaccurate terms" like “apartheid”, “genocide”, “settler colonialist,” and “supremacists”, which "serves to demonise the Jewish state and those who support its existence".

It argues the movement causes tension in communities across the world, particularly college campuses, and that "ignoring the Jewish people's right of self-determination" or pushing for the "eradication of the world’s only Jewish state", amounts to antisemitism.