Met warns about hate speech at Unite the Kingdom and Palestine marches

The Metropolitan police have said organisers of this weekend’s Unite the Kingdom and March for Palestine demonstrations will be held responsible for any hate speech connected with the events, in what they expect to be “one of the busiest days for policing in London in recent years”.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to march in the capital for the Unite the Kingdom event in central London, the Nakba: 78 March for Palestine from south Kensington to central London. Senior officers said protesters will face “the highest degree of control”. The FA Cup final is also due to be held at Wembley on Saturday.

In a briefing, James Harman, a deputy assistant commissioner, said a “zero tolerance” operation of “unprecedented” scale would include 4,000 officers, at a cost of £4.5m, and “swift and decisive” action against disorder and hate speech.

Live facial recognition will be used in an area of Camden where Unite the Kingdom attenders are expected to gather outside the event itself, “comparing the faces of those walking past, with the faces of those on a specific watchlist”, Harman added.

It is not expected that facial recognition will be used on pro-Palestine marchers.

Harman said: “For the first time, we’ve also imposed conditions relating to the speakers at these protests.

“These conditions make the organisers responsible for ensuring that speakers they invite don’t break the law by using these events to platform from unlawful extremism to … hate speech.

“Both the speakers and the organisers will face consequences if that happens.”

He added: “If hate speech is used at the rally, we, the police will intervene, then and there with the speaker. Our condition places the responsibility on the organiser as well as the speaker to stay within the law.”

Harman said armed police were “available for use” in an operation involving dispersal powers, enhanced powers to search and remove face coverings, “helicopters, drones, dog units, police horses, armoured vehicles, if we need them, and dedicated investigative teams … at a time of continued global instability and tension, which we know has the potential to play out on the streets of London”.

People who call for “intifada” or “death to the IDF” face being arrested and charged.

Harman said the day “has the potential to be one of the busiest days for policing in London in recent years” and followed “a sustained campaign of arson targeting Jewish Londoners” and “increased concern more broadly, including in Muslim communities”.

The senior officer said while “many come with good and lawful intentions” to Palestine protests … we’ve routinely seen arrests for stirring up racial hatred and for supporting terrorist organisations … many Jewish Londoners feel intimidated and afraid of these protests”.