Minister says pro-Palestinian marches have been hijacked

A Unite the Kingdom rally led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson is planned for 16 May 2026.

Stop the War Coalition plans its annual Nakba Day march on 16 May 2026.

Metropolitan Police Chief Sir Mark Rowley said the force would go as far as it can within the law to maximise safety at major protests and was reviewing what restrictions might be reasonable in the coming weeks.

Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones said pro-Palestinian marches have been hijacked by individuals seeking to sow division and cited antisemitic activity on some marches, including chants of death and calls for a global intifada. She stressed the right to protest remains fundamental and that not everyone on the marches is antisemitic, while the government is prepared to ban protests where necessary.

Two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green, north London. Police declared the attack a terror incident. Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis joined calls for a temporary ban on pro-Palestinian marches.

The government approved a Metropolitan Police request to ban the Al Quds Day march in London, marking the first protest march ban since 2012.

The government commissioned a review of public order and hate crime legislation last year that was expected to be published in February 2026 but had not yet been released by May 2026.

Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police said they would adapt their approach to slogans referencing the Palestinian cause, including arresting those using such chants or placards, in response to the attack on a Jewish festival on Australia's Bondi Beach.