Artists including Annie Lennox and Miriam Margolyes have accused the Metropolitan police of favouring a far-right demonstration led by Tommy Robinson over a pro-Palestine march planned for the same day in London.
The criticism follows the Met’s decision to reject the preferred route for the annual Nakba commemoration march, which is organised by the pro-Palestine movement. Nakba refers to the mass expulsion of Palestinians.
On the same date, the “Unite the Kingdom” demonstration is expected to go ahead in central London, with a route that includes Kingsway, the Strand, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall and Parliament Square.
The contrast between the two policing decisions has prompted accusations that the force has treated the far-right event more favourably. The letter signed by the celebrities and other artists argues that the Palestine march has been blocked while Tommy Robinson’s rally has been allowed to proceed through prominent locations in the capital.
Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, responded on X by writing: “London is ours on May 16th.”
The dispute centres on how the Metropolitan police are managing competing protests in central London on the same day. The rejected route for the Nakba march and the approved route for the “Unite the Kingdom” event have become a flashpoint in wider concerns about public order, protest rights and policing priorities.
The annual Nakba commemoration is an established event for the pro-Palestine movement, while Robinson’s rally has drawn attention because of its far-right associations and the scale of the route being used in the centre of London.
As the date approaches, the row is likely to intensify scrutiny of the Met’s handling of demonstrations involving highly charged political messages. The force has been accused by the signatories of making a choice that appears to give greater leeway to Robinson’s supporters than to the Palestine march organisers.
For now, the argument remains focused on the police decision over routes, the timing of the protests and the symbolism of the locations selected in central London.
