UK Police Spending Millions on ‘Policing’ Gaza Protests

Demonstrations against Israel have consumed much of the budgets of UK police forces since the October 7th pogrom, reporting has confirmed.

The Jewish Chronicle submitted a Freedom of Information request to British police forces, revealing that to date over £59 million (€68.4 million) was spent on policing ‘pro-Palestine’ hate marches—with a whopping £57 million used up by London’s beleaguered Metropolitan Police alone. ⁠Greater Manchester Police got through £1.7 million.

Commentators have pointed out constructive alternative ways of spending the money; other observers are shocked at how since the first protest—planned during the antisemitic massacre in 2023—blatant lawbreaking has been a normal feature of the demonstrations in London and elsewhere. In contrast to the hands-off approach of various police forces when faced with Palestine marches, they have taken a tough line with pro-Israel counterdemonstrators, such as those declaring Hamas is a terrorist organization (which is supposedly the position of the UK legal system too).

There may be changes in the approach taken by police following the proscription of the Palestine Action Group—29 of whose supporters were arrested for displaying its placards over the weekend—but this is also likely to further push up costs.