Two British police forces declined to ask pro-Palestine activists to delay protests set to be held today, the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre.
Despite fury over the planned marches across the country, Police Scotland and Greater Manchester Police did not ask them to be rescheduled.
At least 1,195 people were brutally killed in the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel three years ago.
Ahead of marches set to take place in London, Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harmam said the force could not ban the marches altogether.
“We cannot ban protests and can only ask the Home Secretary to do so if the risk of serious disorder is so high that it can’t be managed by conditions.
“That high bar is not met here,” he insisted.
Despite this, the Met had sought out student organisers to urge them to hold their event on an alternative date.
“We, the Met, have attempted to find and contact the student organisers to ask them to very carefully consider the impact their event will have, and to ask them to hold this event on a different day,” he said.
Two British police forces declined to ask pro-Palestine activists to delay protests set to be held today
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The Met had unsuccessfully asked protestors to delay demonstrations beyond the sensitive date
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GMP and Police Scotland did not make a similar attempt to have demonstrators reschedule their plans.
In Manchester, GB News understands the force deemed an intervention too significant a step, given the smaller scale of expected protests.
A gathering is planned for Albert Square, central Manchester, at 6pm this evening.
Police Scotland confirmed it was aware of planned protest activity in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen but said only that “appropriate resources” would be deployed.
At least 1,195 people were brutally killed in the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel three years ago
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“We are aware of planned protest activity due to take place in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen on Wednesday, 7 October, 2026,” the force told GB News.
“We will have appropriate resources in place to ensure the safety of those in attendance and mitigate disruption to the wider community.”
Pro-Palestinian demonstrations are planned in Edinburgh and Glasgow today, marking the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks on Israel.
Campaigners are due to protest outside Barclays on Princes Street in Edinburgh and at an Armed Forces Careers Office in Glasgow, while a Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign meeting is scheduled for this evening in Edinburgh.
Greater Manchester Police and Police Scotland did not seek to have the protests change date
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Jewish community organisations have condemned the decision to stage protests on this particular date, describing the timing as a deliberate provocation against a community in mourning.
A spokesman for Campaign Against Antisemitism told The Telegraph: “Because we have focused our scrutiny on the Met, other forces are apparently doing nothing at all, because policing these days only seems to happen when there’s a public outcry.
“These marches are nothing to do with Palestine and everything to do with Israel: the Jews cannot even be left to mourn their dead in peace.”
Police Forces Refused to Stop Pro-Palestinian Activists Holding October 7 Massacre Marches
British police forces have come under intense scrutiny after allowing pro-Palestinian demonstrations to proceed on 7 October 2026, the third anniversary of the Hamas-led terrorist attacks against Israel. The decision has triggered criticism from Jewish community organisations and campaigners, who questioned why demonstrations were permitted to take place on a date associated with the deaths of approximately 1,200 people in Israel.
The controversy has highlighted difficult questions about freedom of expression, public order policing, antisemitism and the responsibility of authorities to protect communities affected by the anniversary.
The most controversial aspect of the situation was the differing approaches taken by police forces in different parts of the country. While the Metropolitan Police contacted organisers and repeatedly requested that the London demonstration be moved to another date, Police Scotland and Greater Manchester Police did not make similar requests.
According to reports published on 6 October 2026, demonstrations were planned in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Manchester. Police Scotland confirmed that it was aware of the planned activities and would deploy appropriate resources to maintain public safety and minimise disruption. Greater Manchester Police also decided not to ask organisers to reschedule their demonstration, partly because the expected gatherings were smaller than those anticipated in London.
The Metropolitan Police, meanwhile, faced considerable pressure from Jewish organisations and members of the public who believed that holding demonstrations on the anniversary was insensitive and deeply distressing.
The force had attempted to contact the organisers of a student demonstration organised by the University of London Coalition. The planned march was scheduled to travel through central London, beginning at Lincoln’s Inn Fields and ending at Russell Square.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman explained that the police had made repeated efforts to persuade organisers to consider another date. However, the force acknowledged that it did not have sufficient legal grounds to request an outright ban.
Instead, the Metropolitan Police imposed strict conditions under the Public Order Act 1986. Demonstrators were required to follow a prescribed route, remain within designated areas and conclude their rally by 2pm. Face coverings concealing participants’ identities were also prohibited.
Police warned that anyone breaching the conditions could face arrest. Officers also made clear that hate crime and unlawful extremist activity would not be tolerated.
These restrictions demonstrated that allowing a protest to take place did not mean police had abandoned their responsibility to maintain public order.
The legal position became a central part of the debate. Under British law, the right to peaceful assembly is protected, and police cannot simply prohibit a demonstration because its timing or political message is considered offensive by some members of the public.
A ban on a public procession requires a particularly high legal threshold, involving a risk of serious public disorder that cannot adequately be managed through restrictions. The Metropolitan Police said that threshold had not been reached.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell also intervened, calling on organisers to demonstrate compassion and respect by moving their demonstration to another day. She stressed that Jewish communities should be able to commemorate the anniversary without experiencing intimidation, harassment or abuse.
The reaction from Jewish community organisations was particularly strong. Campaign Against Antisemitism criticised the decision by Police Scotland and Greater Manchester Police not to approach organisers about changing the date. The organisation argued that the anniversary deserved particular sensitivity and that Jewish communities should be allowed to remember those killed without additional distress.
Raphi Leon, president of the Union of Jewish Students, also criticised the planned demonstrations, describing their timing as provocative and calling for stronger restrictions.
However, supporters of the demonstrations argued that their purpose was to protest against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza rather than to celebrate or justify the Hamas attacks. They maintained that criticism of the Israeli government and support for Palestinian rights should remain protected forms of political expression.
This distinction is important. Condemning the Hamas attacks does not require accepting every action taken by the Israeli government, just as supporting Palestinian civilians does not mean supporting Hamas or its violence.
The events also highlighted the difficulties facing police officers when dealing with demonstrations involving deeply opposing political and historical perspectives. Authorities must protect the right to peaceful protest while ensuring that Jewish communities and other members of the public are not subjected to threats, harassment or antisemitic abuse.
On 7 October itself, the demonstrations went ahead under the restrictions imposed by the Metropolitan Police. The controversy continued several days later, when thousands of people attended another pro-Palestinian demonstration in central London on 10 October. Police reported at least 20 arrests, including cases involving criminal damage and breaches of protest conditions.
The events demonstrated the considerable resources required to manage large demonstrations and the importance of ensuring that the law is applied consistently.
Ultimately, the controversy surrounding the October 7 marches has exposed a difficult challenge for Britain’s police forces. Jewish communities have legitimate concerns about commemorating the anniversary of a devastating terrorist attack without intimidation or harassment. At the same time, peaceful demonstrators have legal rights to express political opinions and criticise government actions. The responsibility of the authorities is to protect both principles, investigate criminal behaviour and prevent hatred from becoming part of public demonstrations. The debate is unlikely to disappear, particularly while the conflict in the Middle East continues to generate strong emotions across Britain.