UK police crackdown on protesters

The UK has been witnessing large-scale protests over the war. Pic/AFP

The Metropolitan Police have mounted a major policing operation for London on Saturday as the UK observed a two-minute silence to mark Armistice Day commemorating the country's World War martyrs, with thousands of demonstrators planning to march through the streets of the city to protest against the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Following days of controversy over the pro-Palestinian protests not being banned on what is known as Remembrance weekend in the UK, the Metropolitan Police said it had doubled the number of officers on duty to around 2,000 and warned that any disruption whatsoever to remembrance events would be dealt with "robustly". It follows UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman criticising the police force for "playing favourites" by not taking tougher action against protesters who resorted to aggression.

Earlier, Sunak had labelled the protests on Armistice Day as "provocative and disrespectful" but has since back the Met Police in their decision to police the pro-Palestinian march while protecting the sanctity of the Remembrance weekend. Armistice Day, also known as Remembrance Day, is commemorated every year on November 11 to mark the armistice or end of hostilities signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany.

2,000
No of officers on duty

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