More than 80 MPs and peers have called on the Metropolitan Police to change the route of an upcoming pro-Palestine march planned to pass near a central London synagogue.
In a letter to Met Police chief Sir Mark Rowley, Labour and Conservative politicians have demanded action over Saturday's Palestine Solidarity Campaign protest.
The demonstration's proximity to the Central Synagogue during Sabbath services has sparked serious concerns among political and religious leaders.
The National March for Palestine is scheduled to begin outside BBC headquarters, just yards away from the Central Synagogue.
The synagogue will be holding Sabbath services at the time of the protest.
Both Labour and Conservative politicians have expressed concerns that Gaza protests have left the Jewish community feeling intimidated.
In the letter, seen by The Sun, the cross-party group of politicians said: "There are other routes which do not go close to synagogues and there is no reason the Met should not ensure protestors stick to these."
Claudia Mendoza from the Jewish Leadership Council called on Scotland Yard to relocate the protest's starting point.
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"We call on the Met Police to use its powers to move the start, to ensure the freedom to protest does not infringe on the rights of the Jewish community," she said.
The council expressed gratitude to parliamentarians who supported their position, with Mendoza adding: "We thank those parliamentarians who have publicly supported this call."
Britain's Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis warned there is "no justification" for the Met not to impose a full ban on Gaza marches passing close to synagogues.
"It is hard to see the absence of such a commitment as anything other than a failure of the Met's duty to members of Jewish communities who no longer feel safe," he said.
The concerns come after previous Gaza marches resulted in arrests for racially aggravated offences and terrorism support last year.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed it has requested the Palestine Solidarity Campaign to change the protest's starting point.
Scotland Yard said it would consider imposing conditions if organisers refuse to alter the route.
Reacting to the Met’s threat of using the Public Order Act if the march goes ahead, the PSC said: “We utterly condemn this attempt to use repressive powers to prevent our planned protest at the BBC.”
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In a letter to Met Police chief Sir Mark Rowley, Labour and Conservative politicians have demanded action over Saturday's Palestine Solidarity Campaign protest.
The demonstration's proximity to the Central Synagogue during Sabbath services has sparked serious concerns among political and religious leaders.
The National March for Palestine is scheduled to begin outside BBC headquarters, just yards away from the Central Synagogue.
The synagogue will be holding Sabbath services at the time of the protest.
Both Labour and Conservative politicians have expressed concerns that Gaza protests have left the Jewish community feeling intimidated.
In the letter, seen by The Sun, the cross-party group of politicians said: "There are other routes which do not go close to synagogues and there is no reason the Met should not ensure protestors stick to these."
Claudia Mendoza from the Jewish Leadership Council called on Scotland Yard to relocate the protest's starting point.
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"We call on the Met Police to use its powers to move the start, to ensure the freedom to protest does not infringe on the rights of the Jewish community," she said.
The council expressed gratitude to parliamentarians who supported their position, with Mendoza adding: "We thank those parliamentarians who have publicly supported this call."
Britain's Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis warned there is "no justification" for the Met not to impose a full ban on Gaza marches passing close to synagogues.
"It is hard to see the absence of such a commitment as anything other than a failure of the Met's duty to members of Jewish communities who no longer feel safe," he said.
The concerns come after previous Gaza marches resulted in arrests for racially aggravated offences and terrorism support last year.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed it has requested the Palestine Solidarity Campaign to change the protest's starting point.
Scotland Yard said it would consider imposing conditions if organisers refuse to alter the route.
Reacting to the Met’s threat of using the Public Order Act if the march goes ahead, the PSC said: “We utterly condemn this attempt to use repressive powers to prevent our planned protest at the BBC.”
Find Out More...