Over the past month, pro-Palestinian demonstrators have gathered in central London and other cities around the UK to protest against the Israeli bombing of Gaza – and the UK government’s endorsement of it.
As the Guardian’s chief reporter Daniel Boffey tells Michael Safi, these marches have been overwhelmingly peaceful events, although there have been instances of controversial chants and signs and a number of arrests.
This Saturday’s planned demonstration has been heavily criticised by government ministers led by the home secretary, Suella Braverman, who has called on organisers to postpone.
Those calls have been rejected and Braverman has been piling pressure on the Metropolitan police to enforce a ban. That pressure has so far been resisted.
Meanwhile, the war of words is heating up, itself potentially raising the risk of trouble, as far-right groups discuss heading into London to get involved.
Photograph: Guy Smallman/Getty Images
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