Middle East tensions hit London’s streets as march banned

Published: March 11, 2026
The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has formally approved a request from the Metropolitan Police to ban the annual Al Quds Day march in central London, citing serious concerns about public disorder if the event went ahead amid heightened tensions over the Middle East conflict.

The protest, scheduled for Sunday and traditionally held to express solidarity with Palestinians, drew criticism in Westminster after organisers were reported to have expressed support for Iran’s late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US‑Israeli strike earlier this month. Several counter‑demonstrations were also planned, amplifying fears of clashes between rival groups.

Announcing her decision, Mahmood said she was “satisfied doing so is necessary to prevent serious public disorder, due to the scale of the protest and multiple counter‑protests, in the context of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.” She added that while a static demonstration could still take place under strict police conditions, moving the planned march would be unlawful and subject to enforcement.

The ban represents the first time a protest march has been blocked in London since 2012, when authorities used similar powers in response to public order risks. The Metropolitan Police stressed that the decision was based on operational risk assessments rather than political preference, arguing that previous Al Quds Day events had sometimes led to arrests linked to support for proscribed organisations and hate crimes.

Organisers from the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) strongly condemned the move, calling it a blow to freedom of expression and assembly and advising they were seeking legal advice. The IHRC maintained that its demonstration had historically been peaceful and should be permitted to proceed.

Political reactions cut across party lines, with MPs from both Labour and the Conservatives supporting police action, while civil liberties advocates warned the ban risked setting a precedent for restricting protest rights in a politically charged environment.

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