Summary

  • Police estimate 300,000 pro-Palestinian protesters calling for a Gaza ceasefire have marched in central London, in the biggest UK rally since the Israel-Gaza war began

  • More than 100 counter-protesters have been arrested including a large number in Pimlico, near the protest route, the Met Police says

  • Officers earlier faced aggression from some of the counter-protesters - who include some far-right groups - near the Cenotaph war memorial, police say

  • Video shows counter-protesters shoving police officers and chanting: "You're not English anymore"

  • Rishi Sunak says criminality disrespects the armed forces - as he condemns violent scenes

  • The PM condemned "EDL thugs" for attacking police officers and also protesters "singing antisemitic chants"

  • Met Police say nine officers were injured – two of them needing hospital treatment for a broken elbow and dislocated hip

  • At 11:00, hundreds of people gathered at the Cenotaph to observe two minutes of silence and commemorate the UK's war dead

  1. Thanks for joining uspublished at 23:56 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    Protesters progress over Vauxhall BridgeImage source, Getty Images

    We're ending our live coverage of the protests across London on Armistice Day.

    This page was edited by George Bowden, Holly Wallis, Emma Harrison, Samuel Horti and Paul Gribben.

    Thomas Mackintosh, Vinnie O'Dowd and Charlotte Gallagher reported from central London. Callum May reported from the Met Police control room.

    Helen Catt, Ruth Comerford, Ece Goksedef and Emily Atkinson contributed reporting from Broadcasting House.

  2. Key developments from the daypublished at 23:45 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    The pro-Palestinian protest came to an end outside the US Embassy in Vauxhall earlier after a long march across central London.

    Here's a look back over the key developments:

    • The Metropolitan Police estimated that 300,000 people joined the march in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza - organisers said 800,000 attended
    • While there is some debate over the exact figure, this would make it the biggest since weekly marches began when the Israel-Gaza war began last month
    • Scuffles between counter-protestors and police broke out in several locations, including in Pimlico, Chinatown and near the Cenotaph war memorial
    • A total of 126 people were arrested across the day, including members of far-right groups
    • Officers also intercepted a group of 150. Arrests were made after some of the fireworks struck officers in the face
    • Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned what he described as "unacceptable scenes" across the day, saying violence "utterly disrespects" the armed forces
    • He also criticised what he said were pro-Hamas signs and antisemitic chants among protesters
    • Earlier, hundreds of people gathered at the Cenotaph in Whitehall to observe two minutes of silence and commemorate those who gave their lives in service

  3. Watch: Massive crowds demand 'ceasefire now'published at 23:25 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    Ruth Comerford
    Live reporter

    Saturday's march marked the biggest pro-Palestinian rally in the UK since the Israel-Gaza war began.

    Police estimate more than 300,000 protesters marched through central London on Saturday to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Organisers believe 800,000 people attended.

    This BBC aerial and ground footage from throughout the day highlights some of the main developments.

    Media caption,

    Watch: Massive crowds in London demand ceasefire

  4. Police appeal over three hate crime suspectspublished at 23:02 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    The Met Police has issued photographs of three people it suspects of antisemitic hate crimes during the protest in London.

    One shows a woman carrying a placard on which the Jewish symbol, the Star of David, is shown to incorporate a Swastika.

    Two other men are shown in photographs taken apparently during the march.

  5. Rowley vindicated over protest go-ahead, says ex-inspector of constabularypublished at 22:49 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley talks to his officers before the arrival of the pro-Palestinian protestImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley talks to his officers on Saturday afternoon

    All eyes were on the Metropolitan Police after it warned of a "very difficult" day ahead on Saturday.

    Earlier this week, the force faced pressure from Home Secretary Suella Braverman to stop the march - but Met chief Sir Mark Rowley said it could only be stopped if there was a threat of serious disorder, and that the "very high threshold" had not been reached.

    Speaking to the BBC Radio 4's PM programme earlier, the former inspector of constabulary, Zoë Billingham, said Rowley had been "vindicated” in letting the protest go ahead.

    "The police have to balance rights of people to express their freedom of speech against the ability of the rest of the communities to go about their day to day business," Billingham said.

    Asked about future relations between the Braverman and the force, she said the Met needed to be "operationally independent", adding and that it is "not a job for politicians to tell police how to do their job".

  6. Watch: Michael Gove surrounded by pro-Palestinian protesterspublished at 22:26 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    Media caption,

    Michael Gove surrounded by pro-Palestinian protestors shouting 'shame on you'

    Michael Gove was surrounded by pro-Palestinian protesters shouting "shame on you" at London's Victoria train station on Saturday.

    A source close to the levelling up secretary said he was returning from his constituency and had to be taken away in a police van.

    Footage posted on social media shows him being ushered through the station by police officers.

  7. Today in picturespublished at 22:09 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    British Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps lays a wreath at the annual ceremony in RemembranceImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    We began Saturday with the two-minute silence at the Cenotaph war memorial in central London to commemorate those who gave their lives in service

    Counter-protesters clash with police in Parliament Square in central LondonImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    A short while after, scuffles between police officers and counter-protesters broke out near the Cenotaph, and were later reported in locations across the capital, including in Parliament Square (pictured) and Pimlico

    Pro-Palestinian demonstrators march through LondonImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian protesters began gathering in Hyde Park to begin the march to the US Embassy in Vauxhall, drawing a crowd of 300,000 people, according to the Met Police

    Screens inside of Met Police control roomImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    A major police operation took place across the day, leading to 126 arrests, according to the latest police figures

    Protestors set off fireworksImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    Towards the end of the day, a group of pro-Palestinian protestors were seen setting off fireworks in Vauxhall, near the end point of the march

  8. Police chief to publish images of suspectspublished at 21:54 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    The police chief added: "Locating and intercepting suspects in a crowd of the size we saw today will always be challenging, but we were further limited in our ability to do so due to the number of officers we had to deploy, from early in the day, in response to violence from the right wing groups in central London.

    "We will soon publish images of some of those we suspect have committed these offences and as we have shown in recent weeks, we will pursue all available lines of enquiry to identify suspects and take action even after the conclusion of protests."

  9. Police say they protected Cenotaph 'at all times'published at 21:42 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    Here's a little bit more detail from Assistant Commissioner Mark Twist's statement.

    "Thanks to the considerable efforts of our officers, who put themselves in harm’s way, nobody was able to reach the Cenotaph, which was protected at all times," he said.

    But officers were injured on Whitehall as they prevented "a violent crowd" getting to the memorial while a Remembrance service was taking place.

    "At the end of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign march, we once again saw breakaway groups behaving in an intimidating manner," he said.

  10. Arrests made after officers struck by fireworks - policepublished at 21:14 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    Earlier we reported that officers detained a breakaway group of about 150 people from the pro-Palestinian demonstration.

    The statement from the assistant commissioner says the group of 150 were "wearing face coverings and firing fireworks".

    He says "arrests were made" after some officers were struck in the face with fireworks.

    His statement adds that the Met will be publishing images people suspected to have committed offences, such as showing support for UK proscribed terrorist organisations, including Hamas.

  11. Nine police officers injured, Met assistant commissioner sayspublished at 21:08 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    Nine police officers were injured during today's protests, with two requiring hospital treatment, assistant commissioner Matt Twist says.

    In a statement, Twist says one officer suffered a fractured elbow and the other a suspected dislocated hip.

    "The extreme violence from the right-wing protesters towards the police today was extraordinary and deeply concerning," he says, referring to the group of "largely football hooligans" who "spent most of the day attacking or threatening officers".

  12. 126 arrested over day of protestspublished at 20:46 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023
    Breaking

    Callum May
    BBC News

    A total of 126 people have been arrested on a day of demonstration in London, says the Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Matt Twist.

  13. Labour: Violence and hate crimes 'must face full force of law'published at 20:45 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    Helen Catt
    Political correspondent

    We've just had a statement from Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, who says "both violence and hate crimes" at today's protests "must face the full force of the law".

    She's also attacked Rishi Sunak for allowing Suella Braverman to stay in the cabinet.

    Cooper says there had been "disgraceful scenes of far-right violence against police officers, and attempts to disrupt Armistice events on a day when we pay our respect to all those who fought and died to protect our freedoms".

    She adds: "We have also seen appalling cases of antisemitic hate, intimidation, and support for terrorist groups like Hamas, which must be unequivocally condemned."

  14. Braverman ally: 'Pathetic' to blame disturbances on home secretary's articlepublished at 20:23 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    Helen Catt
    Political correspondent

    The Conservative MP Brendan Clarke-Smith says it is "pathetic" to try to blame the far-right disturbances seen today on Suella Braverman's article in The Times.

    Posting on X, external, formerly Twitter, he said: "I've heard some daft takes, but to try and justify this appalling behaviour by blaming an op-ed in The Times, which simply stated the flaming obvious, is pathetic."

  15. London mayor blames Braverman for 'far-right scenes of disorder'published at 19:59 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    Earlier today, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said far-right "scenes of disorder" at the Cenotaph were a "direct result" of Home Secretary Suella Braverman's comments before the march.

    Writing in The Times this week, Braverman accused the police of bias. She claimed aggressive right-wing protesters were "rightly met with a stern response" from police, while "pro-Palestinian mobs" were "largely ignored".

    She is facing questions about her future after Downing Street effectively disowned the article.

    "The police’s job has been made much harder," Khan said on X. "The Met have my full support to take action against anyone found spreading hate and breaking the law."

    And in a new article for the Mirror, Khan called for Braverman to step down or be sacked, repeating his assertion that disturbances by far-right protesters in London were "a direct result of the home secretary's words and behaviour."

    Khan said that "if she had any honour", Braverman would resign - "and if not Rishi Sunak should sack her" adding "if he doesn't, he's either too weak to do so or he agrees with her".

  16. Pro-Palestinian breakaway group of 150 detained by policepublished at 19:35 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    CCTV screengrab of a group of people in Grosvenor PlaceImage source, Metropolitan Police

    We've had another update from the Metropolitan Police to say that officers have detained a breakaway group of around 150 people from the pro-Palestinian demonstration.

    The group in Grosvenor Place in Belgravia were firing fireworks and many are wearing face coverings, the force says in a post on X, external, formerly Twitter.

    Officers are detaining and searching those involved under Section 60 and 60AA powers, the Met adds.

    The Met is using the word detained in its statement, but this may not be the same as being arrested. BBC News is asking the Met for more information.

  17. In pictures: Pro-Palestinian protests across the UKpublished at 19:33 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    Away from London, other pro-Palestinian protests have taken place today including in Cardiff and Glasgow.

    Protest in Buchanan Street, Glasgow
    Image caption,

    Crowds gathered in the bright sunlight of Glasgow for a pro-Palestinian protest

    People take part in a die-in ahead of a Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign demonstration in GlasgowImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    The protest, which saw calls for a ceasefire, was organised by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign

    Protest in Cardiff
    Image caption,

    In Wales, about 150 protesters gathered in support of Gaza and marched through Cardiff city centre

  18. Analysis

    Met Police control room offered glimpse of modern surveillancepublished at 19:20 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    Callum May
    Reporting from the Met Police control room

    It’s rare for journalists to be allowed into the Met Police’s control room - especially when there is a major operation under way.

    Even when it happens there are conditions. It’s supposed to be at a secret location. I can say it’s in Lambeth - that’s about it.

    And operational information displayed on screen and whiteboards in front of dozens of officers and staff is not for publication.

    But a visit offers a fascinating glimpse at the surveillance possible in modern Britain.

    We were shown live pictures from a police helicopter above a pub. The camera’s lens was powerful enough to show a man sitting in the window. We could see what drink he was enjoying and how much he had left in his glass.

    There are thousands of cameras in London - belonging to the police, TfL, and local authorities, and the Met has access to them all.

    Senior Met figures were also keen to point out the threat their officers had encountered today - noting in their briefings the knuckledusters, knives and class A drugs carried confiscated from counter protestors.

    Many of the crowd had convictions for football violence, they added.

    Remembrance Sunday takes place tomorrow. Police resources will again be boosted - but a testing weekend for policing appears to be over its most difficult day.

  19. Michael Gove surrounded by protestors at Victoria Stationpublished at 19:12 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    Helen Catt
    Political correspondent

    Cabinet minister Michael Gove was earlier surrounded by shouting pro-Palestinian protestors at London's Victoria Station.

    A source close to Gove said he had been returning from his constituency and had to be taken away in a police van.

    Videos posted on social media appear to show the levelling up secretary being physically ushered through the station by police officers as crowds waving Palestinian flags shouted "shame on you".

  20. How many people attended today's protest?published at 19:00 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2023

    Emily Atkinson
    Live reporter

    People demonstrate on Vauxhall Bridge during a protest in solidarity with Palestinians in GazaImage source, Reuters

    The Metropolitan Police has estimated that about 300,000 people joined the pro-Palestinian demonstration today as it moved from Hyde Park to the US Embassy in Vauxhall.

    But there are suggestions this number could be higher.

    The PA news agency has quoted one of the organisers of the protest, addressing crowds through a speaker system in Nine Elms, as saying the latest estimate is that "more than 800,000" people joined the demonstration.

    BBC News asked Transport for London (TfL) for any real-time passenger data, but it said it did not expect to have figures for Saturday until Sunday at the earliest. This TfL data could give us a clearer idea of the scale of the protest.

    What is certain is that today's protest was the biggest demonstration held in the UK since the Israel-Gaza war began last month.