Thousands of people at pro-Palestine rally in London

Several thousand pro-Palestinian supporters took part in a demonstration in central London.

The rally – the latest in a series of UK protests organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) since the start of the conflict in Gaza – comes as Israel and Hamas have agreed a deal. Ceasefire and Hostage Release Agreement,

The Metropolitan Police said eight people had been arrested, including one man on suspicion of possessing a placard suggesting support for banned organizations and four on suspicion of a public order offence.

The stationary rally in Whitehall came after police blocked organizers’ plans to hold a march from Portland Place, near the BBC headquarters.

Police prevented protesters from gathering outside Broadcasting House because it is close to a synagogue and there is a risk that there could be “serious disruption” as congregants attend services on the Jewish holy day.

A group of protesters later attempted to move on from the rally, but police stopped them a short distance away in Trafalgar Square.

Police stopped a group and a minor clash occurred. Later, police vans and officials closed the square and stopped them from leaving the place.

The protesters were then asked to disperse and leave the area. “Anyone violating the conditions or inciting further violations will be arrested.” Bal said in a post on X.

However, 20 to 30 people remain in Trafalgar Square and have been arrested or are in the process of being arrested.

A small counter-protest involving Israel supporters also took place near Whitehall, while other pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated Demonstrations in Belfast and Londonderry,

The Meteorological Department said three people had been arrested on suspicion of violating the conditions set for the protest.

In a posting on Twitter ahead of the march the force said any protestor entering the designated area near the BBC would “commit a criminal offense and may face arrest”.

At the Whitehall protest, protesters could be seen holding placards that read: “Gaza. Stop the Genocide” and “Stop arming Israel”.

Meanwhile, a banner said: “Labour, Tories, BBC. You show Russia’s crimes but hide Israel’s crimes. Why?”

The PSC said they welcome the ceasefire agreement but have concerns about whether it will hold and are reviewing the possibility of holding further marches.

The PSC described the conditions at the Met as “oppressive” and called for force to remove them.

In a statement, the Campaign Against Antisemitism said the march posed a “threat” to synagogues.

A spokesperson said: “It is shameful that the Met has refused to act on that threat throughout”, adding that the police should “finally limit these marches to static protests, as we have been doing for over a year.” Are requesting “.

The conflict in Gaza began when hundreds of people Hamas fighters storm Israel’s southern border on 7 October 2023Killed approximately 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages back to Gaza.

Israel’s military response has killed more than 46,700 people – the majority of them civilians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.