On the third anniversary of the 7 October attacks, London finds itself navigating the ancient tension between the right to grieve and the right to protest — two forms of human expression that, on this particular day and route, the Metropolitan Police fear cannot coexist without harm. Around 300 students plan to march from King's College London to UCL in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, while police, unable to identify the organisers or legally ban the event, have instead issued a public appeal for restraint. The moment sits at the intersection of international tragedy, domestic law, and t
Met Police urge students to move 7 October protest amid safety concerns
If it goes ahead, we will have to police it.
Mark
Why can't the police just ban this march if they're worried about it?
Mimi
The law sets a high bar. A protest can only be banned if police believe it will cause serious public disorder and that conditions alone won't stop that. The Met doesn't think this march meets that threshold, even though they have concerns.
Luke
So what are those concerns, exactly? Is there evidence of planned violence, or is it more about the symbolism of holding a pro-Palestinian march on that particular day?
Mimi
It's the latter. The police are worried about the impact on Jewish students and staff, and they point to a rise in antisemitic incidents at universities since 2023. But they're not saying they expect the march itself to turn violent.
Mark
Have they actually been able to talk to the organisers?
Mimi
No. That's part of the problem. They've tried to contact the University of London Coalition but can't identify who's actually running it. So they can't negotiate or ask them to move the date.
Luke
That's a significant gap. How do you police something when you don't know who's organising it? And how do we know 300 is the right number if the organisers are unknown?
Mimi
Fair point. The 300 figure is what police expect, but yes, without talking to the organisers, there's a lot of uncertainty. The police are essentially saying: if this happens, we'll manage it with conditions and a large deployment.
Mark
What about the universities themselves? Are they doing anything?
Mimi
The police have written to four London universities asking them to engage with students and staff, to make sure no one feels unsafe or excluded because of activity on campus. But the universities haven't made public statements about what they'll actually do.
Luke
And the broader context—the casualty figures, the genocide findings—that's all real and documented, right?
Mimi
Yes. Over 70,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza, more than 900 this year alone despite the ceasefire. A UN commission and a genocide scholars' association both concluded Israel is committing genocide. That's what the students are protesting about.
Mark
So the police are asking students not to protest about something they genuinely believe is happening, on the day it's being commemorated by the other side.
Mimi
That's the tension, yes. The police acknowledge the importance of freedom of expression and peaceful protest. But they're asking people to choose a different date out of respect for those mourning the 7 October attacks.
Luke
And if the march goes ahead anyway?
Mimi
Over 600 officers will be deployed. Police will impose conditions on the route and timing. Anyone who breaches those conditions will be arrested. Zero tolerance for hate crime.
El Pulso
- Police cannot ban the march — it does not meet the legal threshold for prohibition — leaving officers in the unusual position of publicly pleading with anonymous organisers to stand down.
- The anonymity of the University of London Coalition has frustrated every formal and informal attempt at contact, creating a policing vacuum around an event expected to draw 300 people through the heart of academic London.
- Jewish students and staff at the route's universities are at the centre of police concern, with data showing a sustained rise in antisemitic incidents at UK campuses since the 2023 attacks.
- If the march proceeds, over 600 officers will be deployed across a week already stretched by a Saturday mass protest, a counter-demonstration, the Battle of Cable Street anniversary march, and a high-profile parliamentary by-election.
- Arrests have already been made following intimidating conduct during by-election canvassing, signalling that the city's political temperature is running dangerously high even before Wednesday arrives.
On the third anniversary of the 7 October attacks, London finds itself navigating the ancient tension between the right to grieve and the right to protest — two forms of human expression that, on this particular day and route, the Metropolitan Police fear cannot coexist without harm. Around 300 students plan to march from King's College London to UCL in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, while police, unable to identify the organisers or legally ban the event, have instead issued a public appeal for restraint. The moment sits at the intersection of international tragedy, domestic law, and the question of whose pain a city can hold at once.
On Wednesday, the third anniversary of the Hamas attacks that killed around 1,200 people in Israel and triggered a military campaign in Gaza that has since claimed over 70,000 Palestinian lives, around 300 students plan to march through central London. Their route runs from King's College London to UCL; their demand is an end to what they describe as a genocide — a conclusion reached this year by both a UN commission of inquiry and the International Association of Genocide Scholars.
The Metropolitan Police want them to choose a different day. Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman has acknowledged that the march does not cross the legal threshold for a ban — that would require evidence of serious public disorder that conditions alone could not prevent. But he has asked protesters to reflect on the distress the timing and route may cause, particularly to Jewish students and staff at the universities involved. The force has written to four universities asking them to engage with their communities and ensure no one feels targeted or unsafe.
The difficulty is that police have been unable to identify who is actually organising the event. The group calls itself the University of London Coalition, but every formal and informal attempt to make contact has failed. 'If it goes ahead, we will have to police it,' Harman said — a statement that captures the limits of the law as much as the resolve of the force.
The march is only one pressure point in a demanding week. A larger pro-Palestinian protest on Saturday is expected to draw 10,000 people, alongside a counter-demonstration subject to strict conditions. Sunday brings a 5,000-strong march in Whitechapel marking the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street. And on 8 October, police must manage the Holborn and St Pancras by-election for Prime Minister Keir Starmer's vacated seat, where three men have already been arrested following intimidating conduct during canvassing. More than 600 officers will be deployed across these events — a significant financial and operational cost for a force that would otherwise have those officers handling the ordinary demands of a city of nine million.
On Wednesday, the third anniversary of the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel, around 300 students plan to march through central London from King's College London to University College London, demanding an end to what they call a genocide in Gaza. The Metropolitan Police are asking them not to go.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman said the force has tried to contact the organisers—a group calling itself the University of London Coalition—but has been unable to identify who is actually running the event. He acknowledged that the march does not meet the strict legal threshold that would allow police to ask the home secretary to ban it outright. A protest can only be banned if police believe it would cause serious public disorder and that restrictions alone would not prevent that disorder. But Harman said the timing and route raise serious concerns, particularly for Jewish students and staff at the universities involved.
The day itself carries weight. Across London, many people will be holding vigils to remember the roughly 1,200 people killed in the Hamas attacks on 7 October 2023 and the 251 taken hostage. That same offensive triggered a massive Israeli military response in Gaza, which has killed over 70,000 Palestinians according to casualty figures from the territory. In June, a UN commission of inquiry concluded Israel is committing genocide; in September, the International Association of Genocide Scholars reached the same conclusion. More than 900 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza this year alone, despite a ceasefire.
Harman urged the students to reconsider. "Serious concerns have been expressed about the impact of this march on students and staff, particularly those who are Jewish, the route, and the day it is being held," he said, asking protesters to "reflect on the impact and distress it will cause on this very significant day, and exercise your right to protest on a different date." The police have written to four London universities asking them to engage with their students and staff and take all reasonable steps to ensure no one feels excluded, targeted, or unsafe because of activity on campus. The letter acknowledged the importance of freedom of expression and peaceful protest while pointing to data from the Community Security Trust showing a rise in antisemitic incidents at UK universities since the 2023 attacks.
If the march goes ahead, police say they will deploy their full powers to impose conditions on the route and timing. Officers will take a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime, and anyone breaching the conditions will be arrested. Harman said the force has made every effort through formal and informal channels to identify the organisers, but has not succeeded. "If it goes ahead, we will have to police it," he said.
The week ahead presents a broader policing challenge. Another pro-Palestinian protest is planned for Saturday, 10 October, with 10,000 people expected, along with a counter-protest that will be subject to strict conditions. On Sunday, around 5,000 people are expected to march in Whitechapel to mark the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street. Police also have to manage the Holborn and St Pancras by-election for Prime Minister Keir Starmer's seat on 8 October. Officers have already arrested three men following reports of intimidating and obstructive conduct during canvassing in recent weekends, with conflict between canvassers and protesters. Harman insisted that police intervention has been to prevent crime and disorder, not based on political preference. The Met expects to deploy more than 600 officers across the various protests and events over the coming week—a significant financial cost and a drain on officers who would otherwise be handling day-to-day policing across London.
Citas Notables
Serious concerns have been expressed about the impact of this march on students and staff, particularly those who are Jewish, the route, and the day it is being held.— Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman, Metropolitan Police
Exercise your right to protest on a different date.— Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman, urging students to reconsider the timing
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