Met Police issue warning to those planning to take part in Kurdish community march

George Lithgow PA & Emma Fradgley
·2-min read
New Scotland Yard sign
-Credit: (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)


The Met has sent out a caution to members of the Kurdish community gearing up for a march this Sunday, after the apprehension of seven people with alleged connections to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The outfit has been branded illegal by the government, and any form of support for it is considered a crime, as confirmed by Scotland Yard.

"Proscription makes it a criminal offence to invite or express support for a proscribed organisation through chanting, wearing clothing or display articles such as flags, signs or logos," the Met clarified. Last week's roundup saw the arrest of five men and two women in various parts of London, all linked to the probe into PKK activities.

The group, outlawed in Britain since 2001, seeks a separate Kurdish state within south-east Turkey. Police have also executed searches at several places including the Kurdish community centre in Haringey.

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Moreover, another protest near the centre at Green Lanes and Stanhope Gardens on Thursday led to a man's arrest for allegedly voicing support for the banned entity. With London bustling with Black Friday shoppers and Winter Wonderland-goers, Saturday witnessed Palestine Solidarity Campaign activists marching from Park Lane to Whitehall.

The Kurdish community in London has arranged a march from Trafalgar Square to Whitehall. Chief Superintendent Joe McDonald is overseeing the police operations and shared: "We have spoken with the organisers of the protest to agree a route for and assembly point, as well as start and finish, to seek to minimise disruption and balance the right to protest."

He also issued a reminder that expressing support for the proscribed organisation PKK is illegal: "We understand the strength of feeling from the Kurdish community and want to take this opportunity to remind anyone taking part in the march that the PKK is proscribed by the UK Government and expressing support for them is a criminal offence."

McDonald reassures public safety stating, "Officers will be highly visible along the protest route and wider area to ensure the events take place safely and will deal with any offences."

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