British police ban pro-Iranian London march over ‘extreme tensions’

By Sarah Young

LONDON, March 11 (Reuters) – British police have banned a pro-Iranian march that had been due to take place in London on Sunday, citing the possibility of “extreme tensions” with counter-protesters and the risk posed by Tehran during the Iran war.

The annual Al Quds march is organised by the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), which police said was supportive of Iran’s clerical rulers.

The threshold to ban a protest is high in Britain. The police said it was the first time the power had been invoked in 14 years but described the risk of public disorder as “severe”.

The ban, which required the approval of interior minister Shabana Mahmood, also applies to any counter-protest marches.

The IHRC had said on X that the march was to be in support of “Palestinian liberation”.

“IHRC strongly condemns the decision by the Metropolitan Police to ban the Al Quds Day March,” it said in an emailed statement on Wednesday, adding that it was seeking legal advice.

The police, who have been under scrutiny over their handling of pro-Palestinian protests in London since the Gaza war began, said previous Al Quds marches had resulted in arrests of people suspected of supporting terrorist organisations and antisemitic hate crimes.

“We have taken into consideration the likely impact on protests of the volatile situation in the Middle East, with the Iranian regime attacking British allies and military bases overseas,” police said in a statement late on Tuesday.

It said police had also considered warnings by security services about threats on British soil from Tehran, which has carried out strikes against Israel, U.S. bases and Gulf states since U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28.

Four men were arrested last week on suspicion of helping Iran’s intelligence services carry out surveillance of people and locations linked to the Jewish community in London.

The IHRC said it planned to go ahead with a static assembly. Police have said any such event will be placed under strict conditions.

(Reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by Kate Holton and Timothy Heritage)