A Shameful Double Standard: The Metropolitan Police Must Not Favour the Far Right Over Palestine
AUK Editorial
11 April 2026
The Metropolitan Police’s recent decision to block the Palestine movement’s Nakba Day march while facilitating a far-right “hate march” is a textbook example of institutional double standards.
By prioritizing a demonstration led by racist agitators over a long-planned, peaceful commemoration of Palestinian history, the police are effectively endorsing the intimidation of marginalized communities. This selective policing undermines the fundamental right to protest and suggests a worrying bias where the political centre of London is handed to the far right, while those advocating for human rights and international law are marginalized.
The Statement
We are appalled to learn that the Metropolitan Police have refused permission for the Palestine movement to march on its proposed route to commemorate Nakba Day on 16 May. In a shocking reversal of priorities, the police have instead surrendered the heart of London to a “hate march” called by the racist agitator ‘Tommy Robinson.’
The far right has a documented history of targeting the Palestine movement with both verbal and physical aggression. Despite this, the police have chosen to facilitate their presence in the most politically sensitive areas of the capital.
The Palestine movement has marched on the Saturday nearest to Nakba Day every year. For the 16 May 2026 march, the police were formally notified of the intended route as early as 18 December 2025. Nevertheless, the police have rejected this route while granting Tommy Robinson’s followers access to Kingsway, the Strand, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall, and Parliament Square.
This decision is a betrayal of impartial policing. We call on the Metropolitan Police to immediately reverse this shameful decision. We call on every person of good conscience to join us for Palestine on 16 May.
We will march
This statement is signed by:
Palestine Coalition
- Adnan Hmidan, Chairman, Palestinian Forum in Britain
- Ismail Patel, Chairman, Friends of Al-Aqsa
- Lindsey German, Convenor, Stop the War Coalition
- Louise Regan, Chair, Palestine Solidarity Campaign
- Raghad Altikriti, Chair, Muslim Association of Britain
- Sophie Bolt, General Secretary, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Parliamentarians
- Adnan Hussain MP
- Andy McDonald MP
- Apsana Begum MP
- Ayoub Khan MP
- Baroness Christine Blower
- Baroness Frances O’Grady
- Baroness Jenny Jones
- Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP
- Brendan O’Hara MP
- Cathal Mallaghan MP
- Chris Hazzard MP
- Clive Lewis MP
- Diane Abbott MP
- Grahame Morris MP
- Ian Byrne MP
- Ian Lavery MP
- Imran Hussain MP
- Iqbal Mohamed MP
- Jeremy Corbyn MP
- John McDonnell MP
- John Finucane MP
- Jon Trickett MP
- Kim Johnson MP
- Liz Saville Roberts MP
- Lord John Hendy KC
- Lord Peter Hain
- Lord Tony Woodley
- Lorraine Beavers MP
- Órfhlaith Begley MP
- Pat Cullen MP
- Paul Maskey MP
- Richard Burgon MP
- Siân Berry MP
- Zarah Sultana MP
Trade Union and Civil Society Leaders
- Andrea Egan, General Secretary, Unison
- Daniel Kebede, General Secretary, National Education Union (NEU)
- Dave Ward, General Secretary, Communication Workers Union (CWU)
- Dave Calfe, General Secretary, ASLEF
- Dr. Jo Grady, General Secretary, University College Union (UCU)
- Eddie Dempsey, General Secretary, RMT
- Fran Heathcote, General Secretary, Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS)
- Gawain Little, General Secretary, General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU)
- Martin Cavanagh, President, PCS
- Maryam Eslamdoust, General Secretary, TSSA
- Paul Fleming, General Secretary, Equity
- Paul Novak, General Secretary, Trades Union Congress (TUC)
- Sharon Graham, General Secretary, Unite the Union
- Steve Gillan, General Secretary, Prison Officers Association (POA)
- Steve Wright, General Secretary, Fire Brigades Union (FBU)
- Zita Holborne, Joint National Chair, Artists’ Union of England
- Areeba Hamid, Co-Executive Director, Greenpeace UK
- Atala Said OBE, Patron and Founder, British Palestinian Committee
- Dr. Aimee Shalan, Chair, British Palestinian Committee
- Dr. Wajid Akhter, Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain
- Dr. Zena Agha, Interim Director, British Palestinian Committee
- Dr. Mazen Masri, Co-chair, European Legal Support Centre
- Hilary Westlake, Chair, Artists for Palestine UK
- Jonathan Purcell, International Centre of Justice for Palestinians
- Katie Fallon, Campaign Against Arms Trade
- Liz McKean, Executive Director, War on Want
- Nick Dearden, Director, Global Justice Now
- Sir Iqbal Sacranie OBE, Founding Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain
Prominent Individuals (Artists, Academics, and Leaders)
- Alabaster DePlume, musician
- Alex Lawther, actor
- Alexei Sayle, writer and comedian
- Alfred Enoch, actor
- Andrea Kapos, filmmaker
- Andrew Feinstein, author
- Annie Lennox, musician
- Arthur Neslen, journalist
- Asif Kapadia, film director
- Billy Bragg, musician
- Billy Howle, actor
- Brian Eno, artist and musician
- Caryl Churchill, playwright
- Dame Harriet Walter, actor
- David Farr, writer and director
- Denise Gough, actor
- Francesca Martinez, writer and comedian
- Gideon Mendel, photographer
- Gillian Slovo, writer
- Hugh Brody, anthropologist, writer and director
- Jen Brister, comedian
- Joanne Limburg FRSL, writer
- Juliet Stevenson, actor
- Karishma Patel, journalist
- Khalid Abdalla, actor
- Matt Black, musician
- Maxine Peake, actor
- Michael Rosen, author
- Mike Leigh, filmmaker
- Miriam Margolyes, actor
- Misan Harriman, photographer
- Nadine Shah, musician
- Nicholas Kent, theatre director
- Nick Cassenbaum, playwright
- Norma Cohen, actor and writer
- Oreet Ashery, artist
- Paloma Faith, musician
- Professor Anne Karpf, writer and academic
- Rachael Clyne, writer
- Robert Del Naja, musician
- Sam West, actor
- Sonja Linden, playwright
- Stephen Kapos, Holocaust survivor
- Taj Ali, writer
- Talia Woodin, photographer and filmmaker
- Tariq Ali, author
- Tracey Seaward, film producer
- Zawe Ashton, actor
- Adnan Al-Sabah, Solicitor
- Agnes Kory, Holocaust survivor
- Andrew Samuels, Emeritus Professor of Analytical Psychology at Essex and Visiting
- Professor of Psychoanalytic Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London
- Ajmal Masroor, Imaam & Presenter
- Bernard Sufrin, Emeritus Fellow, University of Oxford
- Bibi Khan, Chair, North London Council of Mosques
- Caroline Russell, London Assembly Member Green Party
- Carolyn Gelenter, daughter of Holocaust survivor
- Clare Leigh-Browne, British Psycho-Analytical Society
- Claudia Webbe, former MP
- Daniel Machover, Solicitor
- Diana Neslen, peace activist
- Dina Matar, Professor, SOAS University of London
- Donald Sassoon, Emeritus Professor of Comparative European History, Queen Mary, University of London
- Dori Kimel, University of Oxford
- Dr. Michelle Staggs Kelsall, Senior Lecturer in International Law, SOAS University of London
- Dr. Paul O’Connell, Reader in Law, SOAS University of London
- Dr. Adam Darwish, Academic
- Dr. Anas Altikriti, Global Alliance for Palestine
- Dr. Feda Hassan, Consultant
- Dr. Hafez Alkarmi, Academic and Researcher
- Dr. Hannan Mohammad, NHS doctor
- Dr. Mohammad Alhadj Ali, Chair of Trustees, Welsh Refugee Council
- Dr. Nimer Sultany, Reader in Public Law, SOAS University of London
- Dr. Omar Abdel-Mannan, President, Health Workers 4 Palestine
- Graeme Segal FRS, University of Oxford
- Harriet Evans, Professor Emerita Chinese Cultural Studies, University of Westminster
- Ian Gough FBA, Visiting Professor, London School of Economics
- Jane Deighton, Founding Partner and Senior Consultant, Deighton Pierce Glynn solicitors
- Jenny Manson, Co-Chair, Jewish Voice for Liberation
- John Chalcraft, Professor of Politics, London School of Economics
- Leanne Mohamad, British Palestinian Activist
- Lesley Caldwell, Honorary Professor of Psychoanalysis, University College London
- Linsay Taylor, CEO Muslim Engagement & Development (MEND)
- Lynn Welchman, Professor of Law, Reader in Public Law, SOAS University of London
- Lynne Segal, Professor Emerita, Birkbeck
- Margaret Owen OBE, International Human Rights Lawyer
- Marion Roberts, Emeritus Professor of Urban Design, University of Westminster
- Maryam Ghasemi, Psychoanalyst and Visiting Lecturer, Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust
- Mica Nava, Emeritus Professor of Cultural Studies, University of East London
- Michael Mansfield KC, Barrister
- Mohammad Bassam Tablieh, Solicitor
- Mohammed Kozbar, Chair, Finsbury Park Mosque
- Nadine Finch, former Public Law Barrister
- Nathaniel George, Lecturer in Politics of the Middle East, SOAS University of London
- Nour Norris OBE, Psychotherapist, Founder, SecureLife
- Paul Heron, Solicitor
- Penny Green FAcSS, Professor of Law and Globalisation, Queen Mary University of London
- Prof Avi Shlaim, Emeritus Fellow, St Anthony’s College
- Prof Avner Offer, Professor emeritus University of Oxford
- Prof Catherine Rottenberg Professor of Media, Communications, and Cultural Studies, Goldsmiths, University of London
- Prof Des Freedman, Goldsmiths
- Prof Emerita Karma Nabulsi, Senior Research Fellow, St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford
- Prof Gene Feder OBE, Doctor and academic
- Prof Izzat Darwazeh
- Prof Justin Shlosberg, University of Westminster
- Prof Kamel Hawwash, Human Rights Campaigner
- Prof Natalie Fenton, Goldsmiths
- Prof Peter Hallward Professor of Philosophy, Centre for Research in Modern European Philosophy, London
- Prof Richard Caplan, University of Oxford
- Prof Jo Littler, Goldsmiths
- Rabbi Frank Dabba Smith, multifaith activist
- Reem Abou-El-Fadl, Senior Lecturer in Comparative Politics of the Middle East, SOAS University of London
- Robert Lizar, Director of Health Law
- Sabah Al-Mukhtar, President, Arab Lawyers Association
- Sarah Ricca, Solicitor
- Tamara Ben-Halim, Co-founder and Trustee, Makan
- Tanya Serisier, Professor of Feminist Theory, Birkbeck, University of London
- Tanzil Chowdhury, Senior Lecturer in Law, Queen Mary University of London
- Zoe Cohen, coach and activist
- Zoë Garbett, London Assembly Member Green Party and Hackney Councillor
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