Police to prevent protesters gathering outside Broadcasting House

There will be a police presence in Fitzrovia West and East Marylebone on Saturday 18 January to enforce an order to prevent protesters from gathering outside the BBC in Portland Place.

A march by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) was due to start outside the BBC and then move south along Regent Street and end in Whitehall.

However, the Metropolitan Police have banned the demonstration from entering an area nearly one square kilometre in size and have said this is to prevent “serious disruption” to the lives of those attending a synagogue, which is located in Hallam Street, a few hundred metres to the north of the BBC.

The PSC says “there has never been any threat to any place of worship linked to any of our protests, all of which are attended by large numbers of Jewish people”.

On Wednesday the Met Police said they will use powers under the Public Order Act to stop the PSC March entering the area around Broadcasting House.

Today the PSC announced the march will gather at Whitehall and march through central London. If prevented from marching they will hold a rally in Whitehall.