- Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has approved a Metropolitan Police request to ban the al-Quds Day march in London, citing concerns over serious public disorder.
- Ms Mahmood said that the march organisers, the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), are “closely associated with the Iranian regime”, while Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp called them “in essence a front organisation for the Iranian regime”.
- The ban was prompted by “heightened attention” on Iran due to the Middle East conflict, leading to expectations of larger attendance and potential conflict between protesters and counter-protesters.
- Despite the march ban, the IHRC plans to proceed with a static demonstration on Sunday; they have denied any links with, or funding from, the Iranian government.
- The annual protest, which was created by Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, is billed as an international day in support of Palestine.
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