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ARAB AND WORLD

Sat 11 Nov 2023 12:35 pm - Jerusalem Time

Organizing a pro-Palestinian march sparks a political crisis in Britain

A demonstration in which tens of thousands are expected to participate will take place in the British capital on Saturday, amid heavy security guarding, to demand a ceasefire in the month-long conflict between the Israeli army and Hamas, in a demonstration that sparked a political crisis in the country.


Since the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, which responded with intense bombing of the Gaza Strip, the demonstrators, who came out in large numbers over four consecutive weekends, have been demanding a ceasefire.


Organizing the demonstration despite the government's criticism sparked a political crisis. Interior Minister Suella Braverman is now facing harsh criticism calling for her dismissal for questioning the neutral position of the police who refused to ban the demonstration.


Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warned London Police Chief Mark Rowley that he would hold him "responsible" for any unrest, especially if demonstrators disrupt the Armistice Day commemoration, which falls on the same day in the capital.


The organizers of the demonstration pledged to avoid the Whitehall area in central London, where the ceremony, which the Prime Minister will attend, is scheduled to take place.


The Chief of Operations at the London Police, Lawrence Taylor, who expects more than 100,000 demonstrators to participate, indicated that this weekend will be “particularly tense and difficult,” expressing his fear that rioters will come to the place, increasing the possibility of clashes.


On Friday, the police reported the deployment of huge forces, with about two thousand elements mobilized to ensure the security of the celebrations and the demonstration.


Interior Minister Suella Braverman described the marches calling for a ceasefire in Gaza as "hate marches," noting that police officers "make choices" when it comes to demonstrations, and considered that they ignored "pro-Palestinian mobs" during marches protesting the war between Israel and Hamas.


These statements sparked a torrent of criticism, and opposition representatives called on Sunak to dismiss her.


Opposition Labor leader Keir Starmer said Braverman was "out of control" and that Sunak was "too weak to act on it".


Braverman's tendency to stoke culture wars may be useful to the Conservative Party as it attempts to repair its significant decline to Labor in the opinion polls ahead of the election, which must be held by January 2025.


According to an opinion poll published by the conservative newspaper The Telegraph, 52% of Britons believe that the demonstration should have been banned, and this percentage stands at 72% among conservative voters.


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Organizing a pro-Palestinian march sparks a political crisis in Britain