Remembrance Day: Police hit with missiles in Central London

Met Police has said that a two-minute silence was observed “respectfully” and without an incident in Whitehall.

But officers faced aggression from “counter protestors” in “significant numbers” after a national pro-Palestine march was allowed to go ahead in London today (November 11).

Violent clashes broke out with people chanting “You’re not English anymore” and "England till I die" towards officers.

Counter protesters arriving in Whitehall, central London, ahead of a pro-Palestinian protest march which is taking place from Hyde Park to the US embassy in Vauxhall (Image: PA Media)The counter-protestors are not “one cohesive group”, the police said, and there are different such groups who moved away from Whitehall towards other parts of central London.

One of these groups, who went into Chinatown, confronted and “threw missiles” at officers who tried to engage with them. The police intercepted them and arrested a man on suspicion of carrying a knife.

Another group clashed with the police near Westminster underground station and was seen running from the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square towards police vans. Around 20 officers were trying to control the situation.

Groups of far right protestors clashed with Met Police after observing a two-minute silence to mark Remembrance Day (Image: PA Media)Additional officers have been deployed to the area to identify, locate and deal with those involved. Met Police said: “Our priority is keeping the public safe. We will not tolerate disorder in central London today.

“If their intention is to confront the main protest departing later today from Park Lane, we will use all the powers and tactics available to us to prevent that from happening.”

Police officers take their positions by the Cenotaph in Whitehall, central London (Image: PA Media)Meanwhile, the Pro-Palestine protestors demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, started arriving in Hyde Park as the starting point for their national march from around 11am today.

Read More: Fighting reported as people try to reach the Cenotaph

They will be proceeding towards US Embassy from there.

Abid Mahmood, a 25, holding a Palestinian flag, travelled from Birmingham to London yesterday to attend the march.

People during a pro-Palestinian protest in Oxford Street, London, marching from Hyde Park to the US embassy in Vauxhall (Image: PA Media)He told PA Media: “Palestine needs us, they haven’t got anybody else they need us.

“No-ones backing them and it’s cruel what’s happening, to see people getting killed, babies getting killed — they need our support. We’re here for a good reason not to cause trouble, we have come to peacefully protest.”

English Defence League founder and far right activist, Tommy Robinson, was seen walking from Whitehall towards Hyde Park with a large group.

Tommy Robinson speaks to police officers as he arrives at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, central London (Image: PA Media)British Transport Police have given orders prohibiting planned protests at various London stations today, meaning anyone taking part will be subject to arrest.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said that while the right to a peaceful protest "is a key part of our democratic society", it cannot be at the expense of other people's right to not be seriously disrupted or intimidated.

He added: "I will always back the British Transport Police to use their powers to keep people safe and I am grateful to their officers, especially those who are on duty today."

Home Minister Suella Braverman had earlier sparked a fury for accusing Met Police of bias in allowing today’s pro-Palestine march. She had claimed that the police had stopped far-right protests but permitted the “pro-Palestine mob” to demonstrate on Armistice day.

Coaches from Yorkshire dropping of passengers to take part in the pro-Palestinian protest in Oxford Street, London (Image: PA Media)Layla Moran, a Liberal Democrat MP who has family in Gaza, laid blame for any trouble caused by counter-protesters at the Prime Minister’s door.

She tweeted: “As the police in central London work to contain the far-right, and everyone starts to blame Suella Braverman, just remember who chose to not only give her the job but also chose not to sack her.

“Rishi Sunak is as, if not more, responsible for what happens today”.

Reporting by PA Media