Hundreds of thousands expected at weekend protests in London after Yemen strikes

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to gather in London over the weekend in protest against the war in Gaza as the conflict widens to Yemen.

On Saturday, protesters are expected to gather at Bank Junction at midday as part of a global day of action involving 30 countries, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign said.

A giant puppet of a Syrian child refugee named Little Amal will walk with demonstrators calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Designed to highlight the plight of child refugees, the 3.5-metre-high puppet will be accompanied by a group of Palestinian children during the seventh national march for Palestine.

On Sunday, there will be a static rally in support of Israel taking place in Trafalgar Square from 2.30pm.

Speakers at the event, organised by the campaign group The 7/10 Human Chain, will include the Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy, Ayelet Svatitzky – whose mother and brother were kidnapped by Hamas – Lord Pickles and the MP Christian Wakeford.

The protests come just days after the US and UK launched a series of strikes on Yemen against Houthi rebels, who have been targeting international shipping in the Red Sea.

The Metropolitan police said there would be a significant policing presence on Saturday with about 1,700 officers on duty to police the march, including many from forces outside London.

Groups will walk from Bank Junction via Fleet Street and Victoria Embankment to Parliament Square, where speeches will take place.

Several conditions will be in place, the force said: any person participating in the procession must not deviate from the route specified; the speeches at the assembly after the procession must end by 4.30pm and the whole event must end by 5pm; and no participant in the protest may enter the area around the Israeli embassy.

The force added that there would be “a substantial police presence” for the event on Sunday.

The majority of protests and other events held in recent months had taken place without any notable disorder, the Met said, but there have been a number of arrests.

There had been “repeated examples” of placards, banners and other items being carried or worn, or statements being chanted, “that have crossed the line into religiously or racially aggravated offences”. Some have even been so serious as to be dealt with under the Terrorism Act, the force added.

Since Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October, the Met’s counter-terrorism command has launched about 30 investigations into suspected offending at protests, the majority of which relate to potential terrorism offences.

DAC Laurence Taylor, who will lead the policing operation this weekend, said: “We absolutely recognise the passion and strength of feeling sparked by the ongoing conflict and we respect the right of those who wish to protest and have their voices heard to do so.

“We police without fear or favour and where our policing approach differs it is a response to the intelligence and the nature of the event, not those taking part or the cause they represent.

“Officers are present primarily to ensure the safety of those involved, but where we see offences taking place, or where we are made aware of them either online or by other means, we will not hesitate to act.”