Thousands of people gathered in Trafalgar Square, London, for a pro-Palestine demonstration. PA
Thousands of people gathered in Trafalgar Square, London, for a pro-Palestine demonstration. PA
Thousands of people gathered in Trafalgar Square, London, for a pro-Palestine demonstration. PA
Thousands of people gathered in Trafalgar Square, London, for a pro-Palestine demonstration. PA

UK police investigate 'pro-Hamas' pamphlet sold at protest in London


Gillian Duncan
  • English
  • Arabic

Police in the UK have said a “pro-Hamas” leaflet was on sale at a protest in central London, where some demonstrators threw fireworks at officers and climbed on Trafalgar Square’s fountains on Saturday.

A copy of the pamphlet, which police said was “purported to support Hamas", is being reviewed by counter-terrorism officers.

The pro-Palestine protest came as police said they cut ties with the chairman of an official advisory body, after he was filmed leading a "from the river to the sea" chant.

The phrase is enshrined in Hamas’s 2017 constitution in Gaza, but dates back to the 1960s.

Police in London said lawyer Attiq Malik, chairman of the London Muslim Communities Forum, expressed views in the video, recorded filmed in 2021, which "do not align to the Met's values".

Mr Malik was in the police operations room during protests last month, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

Scotland Yard said the incident "highlighted past language and views expressed by Mr Malik that appear anti-Semitic and contrary with our values".

"As a result we will be immediately ceasing our relationship with Mr Malik while we investigate," police said.

Four officers were injured when fireworks were thrown during the pro-Palestine protest, after thousands gathered in Trafalgar Square. Six people were charged.

Protesters climbed on the square's famous fountains as the mostly peaceful group waved flags and banners.

At least one protester was carrying a banner that read "let's keep the world clean", with a picture of an Israeli flag being put in a bin.

Other protesters chanted "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free", which Home Secretary Suella Braverman has called anti-Semitic. Pro-Palestinian protesters contest this definition of the slogan.

There were clashes between protesters and the 1,300 police officers on duty at the demonstration.

Five people were charged with failing to comply with conditions imposed under the Public Order Act and one was charged with failing to comply with a direction given under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, police said.

Pro-Palestinian protests in London - in pictures

One arrest was made on Sunday morning for a public order offence, after a man allegedly made anti-Semitic comments in Parliament Square.

Met Police official Karen Findlay said officers would be "sharper" in their response at future protests.

"We will take action on any placards being carried at protests which are inflammatory and incite racial hatred, or purport to be supporting a proscribed organisation," she said.

"These are offences and any such banners or material will be assessed by the Met's counter-terrorism command.

"As in recent weeks, we have been speaking to the organisers of the pro-Palestine march to discuss yesterday's demonstrations. We will continue to speak to them across this week as part of our ongoing planning for the weekend's Remembrance events and will monitor and review all information available to us."

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Ms Braverman have expressed concern about the prospect of further pro-Palestine protests on Saturday, when the country will mark Armistice Day.

Scotland Yard said it would use "all powers and tactics" at its disposal to prevent disruption to the occasion, including the banning of a procession when there is a risk of serious disorder.

"We fully appreciate the national significance of Armistice Day. Thousands of officers will be deployed in an extensive security operation and we will use all powers and tactics at our disposal to ensure that anyone intent on disrupting it will not succeed," Ms Findlay said.

The Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall, which is usually attended by members of the royal family, will take place on Saturday, with a two-minute silence observed at 11am.

Remembrance Sunday events will take place at the Cenotaph in Westminster the following day.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign pledged to avoid the area near the Cenotaph during a weekend protest.

Its planned route will take demonstrators from Hyde Park, about 1.6km from the Cenotaph, to the US embassy in Vauxhall, south of the Thames.

Ms Braverman has previously referred to pro-Palestine demonstrations as "hate marches".

The Cabinet minister said last week there was "an obvious risk of serious public disorder, violence and damage, as well as giving offence to millions of decent British people" if protests go ahead on Armistice Day.

"We recognise the terrible events in Israel and Gaza continue to have an impact on communities across London and recognise there is significant concern," Scotland Yard said on Sunday.

"Section 13 of the Public Order Act 1986 allows for the banning of a procession when there is a risk of serious disorder. It has to be approved by a Secretary of State.

"Sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 allow for conditions to be imposed to processions and public assembly to prevent serious disruption. We have used this legislation over recent weeks and will continue to use any legislation necessary to keep people safe."

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

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What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
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RESULT

Manchester United 2 Burnley 2
Man United:
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Burnley: Barnes (3'), Defour (36')

Man of the Match: Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)

Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest

Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.

Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.

Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.

Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.

Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.

Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia

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MATCH INFO

Southampton 0
Manchester City 1
(Sterling 16')

Man of the match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)

MATCH INFO

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Stoke City 0

Man of the Match: Erik Pieters (Stoke)

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

Updated: November 06, 2023, 9:34 AM`