UK Covid response was London-centric, Andy Burnham tells inquiry - The Guardian

Boris Johnson appeared to have no idea that Greater Manchester had spent months under tougher Covid restrictions than London, Andy Burnham has said, arguing that this exemplified an over-centralised approach to the pandemic.

Giving evidence to the inquiry into Covid, Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, said he felt his region was given a “punishment beating” with less financial support after pushing back against regional restrictions.

He also told the hearing that Matt Hancock, the health secretary at the time, decided to impose severe tier 3 restrictions on Greater Manchester in October 2020 despite believing the measures would be ineffective.

Recounting a phone call with Johnson at this time, Burnham said: “He was saying ‘we just need you to agree to these tier 3 restrictions and the package of support’ and I said ‘well, we can’t – it’s not enough. You know, we’ve been under restrictions for a long time.’ He said: ‘What do you mean?’ I said: ‘We’ve been under restriction since July. You do know about that, don’t you?’

“It did seem that he didn’t know about that. He wasn’t aware that we’ve been struggling all of that time.”

Burnham said there was a wider “London-centricity in decision making” that meant lockdown restrictions were lifted in May 2020 when the north of England was still near the peak of the first virus wave, a few weeks behind the south.

“I think because of that, Greater Manchester was left stuck with a high case rate for the rest of 2020,” he said.

Burnham said he repeatedly sought to attend meetings of the government’s Cobra emergency committee, and there was a lack of any forum for mayors such as him to keep ministers in Westminster updated about what their regions faced.

“That, I think, led to a situation where there just wasn’t an understanding of what some of the things the government was doing, what impact they were having on people’s lives,” he said.

Burnham’s decision in autumn 2020 to speak out loudly against what he saw as a lack of proper financial support for the tier 3 designation meant Greater Manchester faced a “punishment beating”, he told the inquiry.

Minutes from a meeting of a key central government committee on Covid planning said neighbouring Lancashire “should have a lighter set of measures imposed than Greater Manchester since they had shown a greater willingness to cooperate”, Burnham said.

He said: “Because we stood up for people in our city region who would otherwise have really struggled had they gone into that lockdown without the funds to help them, because we took that stand, they decided to make an example of us.”

He quoted from a written statement submitted by Hancock to the inquiry: “He says in his evidence about tier 3: ‘I was in despair that we had announced a policy that we knew would not work.’”

Burnham said: “It makes me angry on behalf of the people of Greater Manchester that they … imposed a policy that they had been advised by Sage [the government’s scientific advice committee] and others would not work.”

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2023-11-27 23:45:00Z
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Rishi Sunak's migrant deal with Suella Braverman revealed - The Telegraph

Rishi Sunak agreed to raise the salary threshold for migrants to £40,000 as part of a deal he struck with Suella Braverman, according to a copy of the pact seen by the Telegraph.

Mr Sunak agreed to a four-point migration plan as he sought her support during his leadership bid last year, allies of Mrs Braverman say.

Chief among them was a pledge to raise the minimum salary threshold required for a foreign skilled worker visa from £26,000 to £40,000, a proposal that was publicly backed last week by Boris Johnson, the architect of the post-Brexit points-based migration system.

A copy of the agreement on migration, seen by the Telegraph, showed that they proposed to close down the graduate visa route, restrict the number of dependants that legal migrants could bring and prioritise Russell Group university applicants when evaluating student visa applications.

Mrs Braverman cited the Prime Minister’s failure to stick to their deal in her scathing “departure” letter that she published after being fired as Home Secretary earlier this month.

Details of the deal have emerged days after official figures showed that net migration hit a record 745,000 in the year to December 2022, three times pre-Brexit levels and blowing apart the Conservatives’ 2019 manifesto commitment to reduce overall numbers below 239,000.

Mr Sunak has not denied discussing policy options with Mrs Braverman or the existence of a document, but Downing Street has rejected any characterisation of it as a deal.

‘I’m getting on with delivering things’

Mr Sunak told the Mail on Sunday: “Of course, you have conversations with people when you are in a leadership election and not just Suella.” Asked if he was worried about her producing proof of the deal, he replied: “That’s a question for her. I’m getting on with actually delivering things.”

Sources close to Mrs Braverman said the deal was not signed by Mr Sunak but that it was verbally agreed on multiple occasions – and in front of witnesses – and that he left their meeting with a physical copy of the document.

They claimed that after agreeing the deal and making her Home Secretary, No 10 failed to take legal migration seriously, declaring instead that small boats were the public’s prime concern.

Six letters, each setting out detailed policy options and sent to No 10 either by Mrs Braverman or her office, were ignored, according to sources close to the former home secretary. In one, in November 2022,weeks after her appointment, she said she had instructed officials to “work up a set of proposals”.

“Our manifesto commitment that overall immigration numbers will come down is at risk because of recent trends on visa grants…we can and must deliver our manifesto promise of lowering overall numbers in a manner that is consistent with supporting economic growth,” she said.

The letter set out two additional proposals, one for a cap on overall visa rates, with numbers annually set by Parliament, and a second scrapping the shortage occupation list, where employers can hire foreign workers at 20 per cent below the going rate. This has been recommended by the Government’s own Migration Advisory Committee (MAC).

Tackling net migration was the top item in the agreement, which opened by warning record numbers of visas were being issued including a “large increase in numbers of foreign students from developing countries attending non-Russell group universities on business studies master’s with dependants”.

It proposed:  “A. Close down the graduate visa route. B. Restrict number of dependents. C. Prioritise particular universities and courses. D. Increase salary thresholds for skilled workers from £25k to £40k.”

In her November 2022 letter, she advocated replacing the two-year graduate visa route with a four-month stay when overseas students could try to get a job and could switch their visa over from student to work. This was in line with a 2018 recommendation by the MAC.

A ban on nearly all postgraduate students bringing in dependents apart from those on research programmes was announced in May by Mr Sunak, which he has described as the single toughest measure in years to reduce net migration.

However, he is under pressure to go further.  Robert Jenrick, the immigration minister, who co-signed Mrs Braverman’s final letter in October this year, is pressing for a ban on care workers bringing in dependants and a cap on health and social care visas.

No 10 is “actively considering” measures, understood to include restrictions on care worker dependents and an increase in the skilled worker salary threshold. On Sunday, a spokesman said Mr Sunak had been very clear he believed migration was too high and had to come down to more “sustainable” levels. They noted the numbers were slowing, adding: “We’re prepared to act and do more.”

‘Suella had policy principles’

However, a Tory ally of Mrs Braverman said: “The Prime Minister needs to get on with delivering our 2019 manifesto promise rather than trying to kid people with warm words and vague pledges. Suella was very clear what needed to be done and he just ignored her. That’s why they didn’t like her – because she had policy principles.”

Ministers are expected this week to make final decisions on the new treaty with Rwanda and bill to declare it safe after the policy was ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court.

The bill will enshrine in law a treaty under which Rwanda commits not to remove any migrant deported from the UK, a move designed to answer the main criticism by the supreme court that asylum seekers could be returned to their homelands to face persecution.

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2023-11-26 21:30:00Z
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Thousands march against antisemitism in London - BBC

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By Anisa Kadri, in central London & Nathan Williams

BBC News

Tens of thousands of people have marched through central London at a demonstration against antisemitism.

Organisers estimated 60,000 took part in the first march of its kind since the Israel-Gaza war began, including former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The rally comes amid a steep rise in hate crime, especially against the capital's Jewish community.

English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson - who was asked not to attend by organisers - was arrested by police.

There had been concern that he might disrupt the demonstration.

The Met Police later said in total two people had been arrested. As well as Mr Robinson, 40, who was detained at the start of the march, police arrested a man for making antisemitic comments when crowds were leaving Whitehall.

The large crowd gathered outside the Royal Courts of Justice and made its way along Whitehall to Parliament Square, where a rally was held.

Placards bearing slogans like "Shoulder to shoulder with British Jews" and "Never again is now" were seen being carried by those taking part.

Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis told the crowd at Parliament Square British Jews "will not be intimidated" by antisemitism.

He said: "We call for a strengthening of community cohesion and we will forever be proud to champion the finest of British values."

The Campaign Against Antisemitism estimate Sunday's march to be the largest gathering of its kind since the Battle of Cable Street in 1936, when British Union of Fascists supporters were stopped from marching through east London, an area with a high Jewish population at the time.

PA Media

Reuters

PA Media

Several recognisable faces were spotted in the crowd, including TV personalities Vanessa Feltz and Robert Rinder, and actors Tracy-Ann Oberman, Elliot Levey and Maureen Lipman.

Countdown host Rachel Riley told the crowd: "We've learned from history the sharp price to be paid when good people stay silent and I'm grateful to each and every one of you here today for refusing to be bystanders."

Actor Eddie Marsan gave a speech urging "moderate people in this country to stand up and face down extremism and bigotry and antisemitism and Islamophobia and all forms of racism".

Comedian David Baddiel, who attended the march, described the day as "emotional, bonding, well-attended and shambolic".

He joked: "No-one had any idea where we were going or who was speaking. It was indicative, as ever, of how Jews really don't run the world."

As well as Boris Johnson, security minister Tom Tugenhadt, immigration minister Robert Jenrick and Labour's shadow science minister Peter Kyle were among political figures in attendance.

Crimes against Jewish people motivated by racism have increased dramatically since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza conflict.

There were 554 reports of antisemitic offences in London between 1 October and 1 November in London, compared with 44 in the same period last year.

Islamophobic hate crime is also on the rise, with 220 offences in the same period, compared to 78 last year.

Sunday's rally against antisemitism comes after the latest large pro-Palestinian demonstration to be held in London since renewed fighting broke out in the Middle East.

The Met Police said 18 people had been arrested "during a significant policing operation" that was put in place around the pro-Palestinian march on Saturday, though the "overwhelming majority" protested lawfully, a statement said.

The force has come under pressure over its policing of pro-Palestinian demonstrations, and has pledged to crack down on placards and chanting which are judged to constitute a hate crime.

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2023-11-26 18:38:37Z
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Pro-Palestine protestor displaying swastika among arrests at London march - The Independent

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People displaying a swastika inside a Star of David and other Nazi symbols were among those arrested as tens of thousands of Pro-Palestine protesters took to the streets of London on Saturday.

Officers had made 18 arrests as of 7pm on Saturday evening, following what the force called a “significant policing operation”, but the Met stressed the “overwhelming majority” of demonstrators had protested lawfully.

The Metropolitan Police had issued a warning over the spreading of hate speech ahead of the latest major demonstration in the capital calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

Protesters holding placards and Palestinian flags take part in a ‘National March For Palestine’ in central London on Saturday

(AFP via Getty Images)

Within minutes of the protesters gathering at Park Lane for the march to Whitehall, officers announced a man wielding a placard with Nazi symbols on it had been arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred.

It was among a series of handmade placards and banners held up by demonstrators, with some referencing the slogan “from the river to the sea”. Another placard displayed a picture of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer under the word “genocide”, while one other had a picture of leaders of the G7 above the words “war criminals on the run”.

Ahead of the rally, the Met said more than 1,500 officers would be deployed over the weekend, with some handing out leaflets to provide “absolute clarity” on what would be deemed an offence.

Tens of thousands of Pro-Palestine protesters took to the streets of London on Saturday

(Marco Furlanetto)

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said the leaflets set out “that anyone who is racist or incites hatred against any group should expect to be arrested. As should anyone who supports Hamas or any other banned organisation.” He added: “We will not tolerate anyone who celebrates or promotes acts of terrorism – such as the killing or kidnap of innocent people – or who spreads hate speech.”

Organisers Stop the War Coalition said that such a measure was “intrusive”, but asked anyone attending to avoid “any actions that might leave you or others around you open to arrest”. The group said in a statement: “We ask that all attending our marches respect these clear anti-racist principles, including in any signs or placards they choose to bring to the march.”

The Met said it also discovered a stall in Whitehall that was distributing literature featuring a swastika inside a Star of David after officers spotted the same literature at the demonstration. The four people staffing the stall have been arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred.

A man wearing a green headband with white Arabic script who was initially seen in a video was spotted by officers in Trafalgar Square and arrested on suspicion of supporting a proscribed organisation.

Two women seen on CCTV holding offensive placards were arrested for a racially aggravated public order offence as hundreds gathered at the smaller Hizb-ut-Tahrir protest at the Egyptian embassy on South Street in Mayfair.

It was the group’s first protest since 21 October, after which a video emerged showing a man chanting “jihad”. The Met said no offences were identified from the clip.

The majority of marchers did so lawfully, the police said

(Harry Stedman/PA Wire)

Remarking on the incident in preparation for this weekend’s protest, the force said: “It is a word that clearly causes upset and concern, but it’s always contextual. If we think people are chanting this to incite violence, terrorism or antisemitism – we will act decisively and quickly.”

At the start of the Hizb-ut-Tahrir rally on Saturday, those gathered were warned by an organiser: “Don’t come up with your own chants, follow what is on the stage, follow the chants from those who are chanting.” The crowd, made up of men, women and children, held signs that read “Muslim Armies! Liberate Palestine!” and “US & UK Hands Off The Middle East”.

A statement by the group said Muslim leaders “should not feel bound” by Western laws and borders, calling the latter “mere lines in the sand”.

It is the latest in a series of large demonstrations in the capital since the deadly 7 October

(Getty Images)

Dr Abdul Wahid, of the UK executive committee of Hizb-ut-Tahrir, told the crowd liberation would mean a “system that allowed Muslim, Jew and Christian to live side by side in peace and respect with everyone having rights”.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Adelekan added that it was only “a minority [of protestors who] have crossed the line” over recent weeks.

It comes after weeks of pressure on the force over the handling of the now-regular demonstrations, with pressure from senior politicians for officers to come down harder on alleged displays of antisemitism.

Organisers rejected the label of “hate march” deployed by former home secretary Suella Braverman before she was sacked by Rishi Sunak, after a previous rally on Armistice Day saw scenes of violent disorder when far-right thugs clashed with officers.

The march reaches Trafalgar Square

A 90-minute march organised by the charity Campaign Against Antisemitism is also due to take place on Sunday, with around 40,000-50,000 people expected to attend.

On the first day of the four-day ceasefire on Friday, Hamas released 24 of the about 240 hostages taken during its 7 October attack on Israel which triggered the war, while Israel freed 39 Palestinians from prison. Those freed from captivity in Gaza were 13 Israelis, 10 Thai nationals and a citizen of the Philippines.

Under the agreement, Hamas will release one Israeli hostage for every three prisoners freed. However, the militants’ armed wing said on Saturday afternoon they have decided to delay the second round of hostage releases until Israel is committed to allowing aid trucks to enter northern Gaza.

It follows weeks of fighting and Israeli bombardments of Gaza during the conflict sparked by the Hamas incursion into southern Israel that saw 1,200 people killed.

DAC Adelekan said: “I would like to acknowledge the overwhelming majority who came into London today and exercised their right to protest lawfully.

“Regrettably, there was still a small minority who believed the law did not apply to them. Thanks to the efforts of our CCTV teams and other officers, a number of those are already in custody.

“Investigations into other offences are already under way and will continue in the coming days.”

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2023-11-26 08:27:30Z
2625174133

American bully XLs: Fear of spike in dumped dogs under ban - BBC

Meg Broady

By Tim Dodd

BBC England

Dog rescue centres fear numbers of abandoned bully XL dogs will rise if vets cannot cope with the demands of a ban coming into effect next month.

Owners of the breed will have to have dogs neutered, microchipped, and exempted, or have them euthanised.

If vets do not have the capacity to help, owners may have "nowhere else to turn", the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes (ADCH) has warned.

The government said it took "quick and decisive action" to protect the public.

It comes after the founder of a pet rescue centre told the BBC the government's ban on American bully XLs had led to dogs being abandoned and "killed en masse".

The government decided to ban the breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 following a rise in fatal attacks.

Owners wishing to keep their dogs have until the end of January 2024 to register them on the Index of Exempted Dogs, and will eventually need to get them microchipped and neutered.

If the dog is less than a year old on 31 January, it must be neutered by the end of the year, but if it is older than a year, it must be neutered by 30 June.

'Postcode lottery'

Owners who choose not to keep their dog must take it to be euthanised by a vet by the end of January and can claim £200 towards the cost.

The ADCH, which is a representative charity for dog and cat rehoming organisations across the UK, said it had many concerns on how the ban would work, "particularly around veterinary capacity for euthanasia and neutering", as well as vets who refused to euthanise healthy dogs on ethical grounds.

"We fear that these factors will result in a postcode lottery on helping owners euthanise or neuter their bully XLs, and could increase abandonment rates for owners that have nowhere else to turn," the charity said.

Sue Taylor

Rebecca Taylor, a locum vet in Dorset, said she would not be putting down "healthy" bully XLs.

"I use the term healthy - that covers their behaviour and mental health as well as their physical health," she said.

"To me and a lot of other vets, a dog with significant behavioural problems is not a healthy dog.

"But for me - my ethics and morals - I didn't become a vet to put down healthy animals… And for me I can't justify that."

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' Code of Professional Conduct says "no veterinary surgeon is obliged to kill a healthy animal unless required to do so under statutory powers as part of their conditions of employment".

• What is an American bully XL and why are they being banned?

Ms Taylor said she also had concerns it would be difficult for vets to cope with euthanasia and neutering requests in areas where there were more bully XLs.

"When I was working nearer to London, there's more there. If I work up in Middlesbrough, there's more up there," she says.

"I'm just in a rural pocket at the moment where there's not.

"It's not that straightforward to just have dogs traveling across the country to get neutered and then [it] has to be travelling a long way post-surgery, and then if there's any complications after the operation, they'd still need to go to their local vet."

UK Parliament

In October, David Martin, an animal welfare advisor for leading veterinary group IVC Evidensia, told a government committee that in a survey of 200 of new employees, 94% said they would not euthanise a healthy bully XL with no behavioural problems.

He said if the government asked them "to neuter 40,000 Jack Russells in a six-month period" vets would have enough kennel space to house them for the day, but for "40,000 very large dogs" space would be a "limiting factor".

"We would only probably be able to do one or two in a surgery per day, just simply because we haven't got the kennel space to house them while they wake up from their anaesthetics," he added.

From 31 December it will be against the law to sell, abandon, give away, or breed a bully XL, or have one in public without a lead and muzzle.

From 1 February 2024, owning a bully XL dog in England and Wales without an exemption certificate will be a criminal offence, resulting in an unlimited fine and seizure of the dog.

American bully XLs in rescue centres will either be "stuck" there for life or put down after the December deadline, Ms Taylor says, as rehoming them will be illegal.

Reuters

Owners wanting to exempt a bully XL will need to pay for a number of things including the application which costs £92.40, third-party public liability insurance and neutering.

Their pets must also be microchipped, which applies to all dogs - regardless of their breeds - by the time they are eight weeks old.

This "chunk of money" that owners weren't anticipating to spend could be a struggle for some, Ms Taylor said.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs advised bully XL owners whose vet had refused to euthanise their dog to ask a different vet, or to discuss with them alternative veterinary practices that they could recommend.

A spokesperson said: "We have taken quick and decisive action to protect the public from tragic dog attacks, with the XL Bully type added to the list of dogs prohibited under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

"Up until 31 January 2024, owners of XL Bully type dogs have the options of applying for a Certificate of Exemption or taking their dog to be euthanised by a vet.

"We are working closely with the police, canine and veterinary experts, and animal welfare groups as we take forward these important measures."

Related Topics

• Dog attacks
• Dogs

Related Internet Links

• Prepare for the ban on XL Bully dogs - GOV.UK

• Apply for a Certificate of Exemption to keep an XL Bully dog - GOV.UK

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

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2023-11-26 07:14:26Z
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Tens of thousands march in pro-Palestinian London rally calling for Gaza ceasefire - The Times of Israel

LONDON — A protester was arrested Saturday in London on suspicion of inciting racial hatred, as tens of thousands of people turned out on central London’s streets for a pro-Palestinian march calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

The National March for Palestine, which aimed to finish in Whitehall, central London, was the latest in several huge protests staged in the British capital every weekend since the Israel-Hamas war began last month after the terror group’s October 7 atrocities.

Saturday’s protests came on the second day of a precarious four-day lull in fighting that has allowed humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

The Metropolitan Police said it arrested a man on suspicion of inciting racial hatred “near the start of the protest.”

“Officers spotted him carrying a placard with Nazi symbols on it,” police said.

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Officers handed out leaflets at the march that sought to clarify what would be deemed an offense, after the force faced pressure from senior government officials to be tougher on displays of antisemitism at the protests.

Protester hold flags and placards as they take part in a pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel demonstration in Trafalgar Square in London, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. (AP/Alberto Pezzali)

“Anyone who is racist or incites hatred against any group should expect to be arrested. As should anyone who supports Hamas or any other banned organization,” said Deputy Assistant Police Commissioner Ade Adelekan.

“We will not tolerate anyone who celebrates or promotes acts of terrorism – such as the killing or kidnap of innocent people – or who spreads hate speech,” he added.

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The force said 1,500 officers were deployed to police the march.

Earlier this month, the UK’s former interior minister, Suella Braverman, came under heavy criticism when she described pro-Palestinian protesters as “hate marchers.” Critics accused her of inflaming tensions, and she was sacked by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak soon after.

New UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron, a former prime minister, made a trip to Israel this past week and visited Kibbutz Be’eri, among the southern Israeli communities hit hard by Hamas’s shock October 7 onslaught in which thousands of terrorists invaded Israel and killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians in their homes and at an outdoor music festival.

They also took some 240 hostages, 24 of whom were freed Friday in two separate deals. Some 50 Israeli hostages — children, their mothers and other women — are set to be freed overall over the four days, during which the IDF is halting its military campaign to destroy Hamas in Gaza, with three Palestinian security prisoners to be freed in exchange for each hostage.

Hamas freed 13 Israeli hostages Friday, and another 11 foreign nationals from Thailand and the Philippines in a separate deal, Hamas’s backers.

According to the Israel-Hamas deal, the truce can potentially be extended for one extra day for each additional group of 10 more hostages freed by Hamas.

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On Saturday, Hamas delayed the release of the slated second group of Israeli hostages as the fragile truce deal hung in the balance.

Israelis attend a rally calling for the release of Israelis held hostage in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, November 25, 2023. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

In Paris on Saturday, a march staged for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women drew both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli activists, as well as other groups.

Some protesters, waving Palestinian flags and posters reading “Free Palestine,” walked in a show of solidarity with “Gaza and Palestine’s women who are being murdered.”

A group of Jewish women also joined the march to denounce crimes committed by Hamas, including rapes and killings, chanting, “We are women, we are proud, we are Jewish and we are angry.”

Meanwhile, some pro-Palestinian protests were organized over the weekend in France’s major cities including Strasbourg, Lyon and Marseille.

Hizb-ut-Tahrir, an Islamist group, also protested Saturday outside the Egyptian Embassy in London.

Tens of thousands of people are also expected to take part in a march organized by the Campaign Against Antisemitism organization on Sunday to show solidarity with the Jewish community in the UK.

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2023-11-25 19:17:44Z
2625174133

Gaza protest: Tens of thousands march in London calling for ceasefire - BBC.com

PA Media

Organisers of the protest estimated that some 300,000 people attended

Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators have marched through central London calling for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

It was the first London march since Armistice Day, when more than 100 counter-protesters were arrested.

Six people were arrested - others were detained for setting off flares.

The march coincided with a four-day pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas, aimed at freeing Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

On the second day of the truce on Saturday - and as more hostages were expected to be released, Hamas announced it was delaying the process. It accused Israel of breaking the terms of the deal by not allowing enough aid to reach northern Gaza. Israel has denied this.

Organisers of the protest, which marched from Park Lane to Whitehall, estimated that some 300,000 people attended. The Metropolitan Police did not give a number.

Four people were arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred and two on suspicion of supporting a proscribed organisation.

The Met said the breakaway group from the main central London protest had been detained to be searched after marching up Whitehall and setting off flares, which it said had previously been used against officers.

The force said it was using powers under the Public Order Act to prevent further marches on Saturday.

The Met has been under pressure for weeks over its handling of the now-regular demonstrations, with pressure from senior politicians for officers to come down harder on alleged displays of antisemitism.

Ahead of the protest, police said they would issue leaflets warning people about words or images that could break the law.

The force said some 1,500 officers would be on the streets on Saturday with instructions to protect war memorials following criticism that police have not stopped protesters climbing on them.

The Met also said it was planning to position Arabic-speaking officers on the march, backed up in its central control room with lawyers to advise on whether specific phrases break the law.

Reuters

The protest, taking place on the second day of a four-day pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas, is calling for a permanent ceasefire

Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said the leaflets "reassert what everybody knows"

Reuters

Some 1,500 officers were on the streets on Saturday, the Met Police said

Reuters

Officers have been told to protect war memorials following criticism that police have not stopped protesters climbing on them

PA Media

The protest in central London is the first since Armistice Day

PA Media

Marches have also been held in Glasgow (pictured) and Cardiff

PA Media

Protesters carrying Palestinian flags were seen with placards demanding a permanent ceasefire in the conflict, while some referenced the slogan "from the river to the sea".

The language is interpreted by Israel and most Jewish groups as an expression of a desire to see Israel erased from the world, though pro-Palestinian activists contest this, saying it refers to "the right of all Palestinians to freedom, equality and justice".

So far, the temporary truce is still holding and follows weeks of fighting and Israeli bombardments of Gaza, with the conflict sparked by Hamas's unprecedented cross-border attack in southern Israel that saw 1,200 people killed.

Speaking at London's march, a pro-Palestinian protester played down the long-term significance of the temporary ceasefire.

Shaun, 33, from north London, said: "I don't know what's going to come from it, I don't know if it's positive, but I know full well that once this truce and temporary ceasefire are done they (Israel) are going to continue bombing and we're going to be right back where we were, so I'm not holding my breath."

Marches are also being held in Glasgow and Cardiff.

Asked about the Met's leaflets, march organiser Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said police had been placed under "considerable pressure" by politicians to be more aggressive in their policing of the demonstration.

"The leaflets reassert what everybody knows, which is that there are laws against hate speech, there are laws for showing support for proscribed hate organisations - so I'm not sure what the leaflets add," he said.

Separately, a different protest was held by the Islamist group Hizb-ut-Tahrir outside the Egyptian embassy.

It is the first by the group since 21 October, when video emerged showing a man chanting "jihad", prompting an outcry from politicians. The Met found no offences were identified from the clip.

More on Israel-Gaza war

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