15 trade union leaders call for an independent probe into UK policing of Palestine protest

PCS General Secretary, Fran Heathcote, said: “The marches for Palestine to oppose the genocide in Gaza are urgent and necessary. They are an exercise of fundamental democratic rights and have been overwhelmingly supported by peaceful, law-abiding citizens. It is deeply troubling to see the Met use repressive powers to stifle the protest and then make apparently false claims and press charges against those taking part. We in the trade union movement call for an independent investigation and an end to political policing of democratic rights.”
Yesterday, a cross-party letter from over 50 MPs and peers drawn from six parliamentary groups as well as independent MPs was sent to the home secretary in support of calls for an independent inquiry. In their letter the parliamentarians described this as “the apparent denial of civil liberties and freedom to protest.”

Events at the national Palestine protest on 18 January have drawn widespread criticism towards the Metropolitan Police, including from Amnesty International UK, Liberty and British Palestinians.
On the day there was a massive police presence, with police obstructing the gathering for the rally in many respects. There was an unusually high number of arrests of protestors. The Chief Steward who organises the demonstrations for the Palestine Coalition in discussion with police was violently arrested on the day, and with the director of Palestine Solidarity Campaign, subsequently charged with offences under the Public Order Act. Two MPs – Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell – who attended the protest have been interviewed under caution by the police.