Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Metropolitan Police about measures being taken to ensure the safety of participants at counter-protests to the Al-Quds march.

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark Rowley, wrote to the Home Secretary on 9 March requesting her consent to an order under section 13 of the Public Order Act 1986 to prohibit processions and counter-processions in relation to Al Quds Day.

The Home Secretary approved the order, to prevent serious public disorder. The Government’s foremost duty is the protection of its citizens, and this includes ensuring the safety of participants at the protest and counter-protests, as well as the wider public.

It is the responsibility of police to manage protests and maintain a balance between the right to protest and the need to protect the public from serious disruption or harm. Forces regularly engage with communities to understand the impact of protests.

There are no official Government figures on the number of arrests or public order incidents recorded at Al Quds Day demonstrations in London, however the Metropolitan Police publicised that in 2024 there were 10 arrests, and in 2025 there was one arrest.