Three police officers were injured and 40 people arrested during a protest in London against Israel’s war in Gaza, Palestine, on Tuesday night.
One officer suffered a serious face injury after she was hit by a bottle thrown from the crowd that gathered at Downing Street.
Two officers were left with minor injuries.
Police are working to identify the suspect who threw the bottle.
As protests continue on university campuses, a pro-Palestine demonstration kicked off at around 6pm outside Westminster.
Dozens of Palestinian flags and banners were raised over a deadly Israeli airstrike on a Gazan camp on Sunday that killed at least 45 people.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign, one of the organising groups, said some 10,000 people attended the march.
The protest was due to end at 8pm, the police said in a statement. Most left without incident.
A group of 500 remained and police arrested dozens for failing to comply. Some resisted arrest, requiring officers to use force.
As the crowd dispersed, remaining protests marched towards Bridge Street, just outside Westminster station, where a police cordon had been placed.
‘Further opportunities were given to allow the group to comply with conditions,’ the force said in a statement posted to X.
‘They were also informed that their actions were causing an obstruction of the highway.
‘Shortly before 10pm, officers wearing protective equipment began a series of arrests, going into the crowd and extracting those suspected of leading a breakaway protest.
‘In total, 40 people were arrested for offences including a breach of Public Order Act conditions,’ referring to what is widely seen by campaigners as an anti-protest law, ‘obstruction of the highway and assaults on emergency workers.’
Around 2am, police said all protesters had since left the area and Bridge Street had reopened.
The PSC shared footage of the protest outside Downing Street just after 7pm, with hundreds chanting: ‘Blood on your hands.’
‘Our govt and the Labour leadership have provided support for Israel as it commits genocide,’ the group said.
‘They have blood on their hands. They must call for a #CeasefireNOW and #StopArmingIsrael.’ (Metro)
