Peter Tatchell arrested at London Palestine march over ‘intifada’ placard

Activist Peter Tatchell has been arrested at a pro-Palestine march in central London for having a placard that read “globalise the intifada”, his foundation said.

The human rights campaigner was carrying a sign that read “Globalise the intifada: Non-violent resistance. End Israel’s occupation of Gaza & West Bank” at the Palestine Coalition protest on Saturday.

In a statement released by the Peter Tatchell Foundation, the 74-year-old said the arrest was “an attack on free speech”.

He said: “The police claimed the word intifada is unlawful. The word intifada is not a crime in law.

“The police are engaged in over-reach by making it an arrestable offence.

“This is part of a dangerous trend to increasingly restrict and criminalise peaceful protests.

“The Arab word intifada means uprising, rebellion or resistance against Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.

“It does not mean violence and is not antisemitic. It is against the Israeli regime and its war crimes, not against Jewish people.”

Mr Tatchell was taken to Sutton police station to be detained, according to his foundation.

The Metropolitan Police said in December that protesters chanting “globalise the intifada” will now be arrested because the “context has changed” in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack.

In a post on X, the Met said: “Officers policing the Palestine Coalition protest have arrested a 74-year-old man on suspicion of a public order offence. He was seen carrying a sign including the words ‘globalise the intifada’.”

Mr Tatchell had been marching near to police officers and with the sign on display for about a mile from Russell Square to the top of the Strand when the group came across a counter-protest, according to a witness.

At that point, he was stopped and “manhandled by 10 officers”, according to photographer Jacky Summerfield, who was with him.

“I was shoved back behind a cordon of officers and unable to speak to him after that,” she said.

“I couldn’t get any closer to hear anything more than (that) it was for Section 5 (of the Public Order Act).

“There had been no issue until that, he was walking near the police officers,” she added.

“Nobody had said or done anything.”

Two more people were arrested at the protest on suspicion of showing support for a proscribed organisation, the Metropolitan Police said.

The force said the two were spotted by officers carrying a banner with the words “we are all Palestine Action”, a group which was banned by then-home secretary Yvette Cooper last July.

Thousands were in attendance at the pro-Palestine march, which saw protesters gather in Russell Square on Saturday afternoon before marching towards Whitehall for a rally.

A small group from the pro-Israel Stop The Hate group protested near the march route in Aldwych. The opposing rallies shouted at one another and some made gestures but the groups were kept separate with barriers and a row of police officers.

Meanwhile, a group of United Kingdom Independence Party (Ukip) protesters gathered in nearby Trafalgar Square after being banned from assembling in Whitechapel, east London, over fears there could be “clashes” with locals.

Some held St George’s flags while others had wooden crosses as they watched the party’s leader Nick Tenconi give a speech to the small gathering.

As crowds dispersed at around 4.30pm, Scotland Yard said a woman was arrested in Whitehall after she was seen wearing a T-shirt with the words “Globalise the intifada” on.

The force said a total of 15 people were arrested – made up of one person from the Stop the Hate counter-protest, 13 from the Palestine Coalition protest and one arrest that was unrelated to the protests.