Pro-Palestine protesters blockade bridge and clash with police on latest London march

Protesters at a pro-Palestine demonstration blockaded Westminster Bridge in London following skirmishes with police.

For almost two hours on Saturday, protesters held a “mass die-in” preventing traffic from crossing the bridge near the Palace of Westminster.

From noon, hundreds of people gathered at a fountain in St James’s Park for the latest demonstration in the capital.

A few scuffles broke out when officers appeared to advance on the protest leader, an NHS doctor, after she gave a speech using a loudspeaker.

Protesters waved Palestinian flags and held handmade placards condemning Israel’s war in Gaza. Some placards read: “No votes for genocide supporters.”

Four Metropolitan Police vans carrying a number of officers were parked next to the fountain on Birdcage Walk, with other vehicles and officers on horseback also patrolling the road.

The march moved into Parliament Square and onto Westminster Bridge before police set up a cordon blocking further protesters from crossing.

Around 200 pro-Palestinian protesters on the bridge held a “die-in” bring traffic over the River Thames to a halt. Some tourists were caught up in the mayhem, many fearing they were being contained by police.

Some protesters wore masks of leading politicians, including Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, and Joe Biden, the US president, and held up both their hands which were covered in red paint.

The protesters had also chanted at officers “shame on you” and “who do you serve, who do you protect?”

Officers were forced to explain to confused tourists that they were not caught in a “containment zone” and everyone was free to leave. Officers also released protesters with the demonstration fizzling out by about 4pm.

The Metropolitan Police remained in place lined up on both sides of the bridge until the area was cleared.

Organisers said the ‘die in’ was meant to “send a signal to the UK Government that Palestine is a political priority and that there can be no business as usual” and to call for an immediate ceasefire.

In Parliament Square, a man with a loud hailer was filmed chanting: “Yemen, Yemen make us proud. How many ships have you turned around?” The comment is a reference to the Iran-backed Houthis interrupting international shipping lanes

The Free Palestine Coalition, which says it is made up of “grassroots organisations in London, including Sisters Uncut, Black Lives Matter UK, London for a Free Palestine, and the Palestinian Youth Movement” told supporters to meet at the drinking fountain at St James’s Park at noon.

It said they will be “blockading a well-known location in London” and expected thousands to attend.

“The FPC has chosen this date, in advance of Parliament returning, to send a strong signal to the UK Government that Palestine is a political priority and that there can be no business as usual,” it said.

A large number of officers will be in central London “to minimise disruption and deal with any offences” as protest groups hold a march demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, the Metropolitan Police said.

The force posted on X: “Various protest groups, including Sisters Uncut and Black Lives Matter, are planning to hold a protest in central London today.

“Officers have attempted to speak with the organisers, however they have not shared any information with us about their proposed route.

“This has an impact on how we plan our policing response and means more officers have to be deployed to central London to ensure we can respond quickly.”

A number of the placards accused Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, of having “blood on his hands” after his initial failure to call for a ceasefire.

Another placard contained the quote: “I have no problem calling Israel a Nazi state committing acts of genocide knowing full well what my Jewish family endured.”

The quote is from Aaron Maté, a journalist at The Grayzone, an American far-left online publication. Mr Maté has repeatedly called for a ceasefire and in November was removed from an Amtrak train after he persistently challenged Chris Coons, a US senator, over his failure to support an unconditional ceasefire.

A series of smaller marches were held in cities and towns across the country in what the Palestine Solidarity Campaign called a “day of action”.