Police officers from outside of London will be deployed across the capital in response to a series of protests taking place this weekend.
Palestine Action supporters have been warned they “can expect to be arrested” for defying terror laws by expressing support for the banned group during a rally in central London on Saturday. Some 500 people are expected to attend.
Forces are also preparing for a fresh wave of anti-migrant protests at asylum hotels. The Metropolitan Police said there is “no doubt” the scale of the public order policing operation will put pressure on its resources.
Beyond the weekend, officers across the country face having annual leave cancelled and being asked to work longer shifts as the criminal justice system strains to handle an expected summer of protests over asylum hotels and the war in Gaza, The i Paper has been told.
Police were braced for potential disorder in towns across England on Friday after far right groups and influencers promoted a range of protests against asylum seekers.
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Officers were stationed at hotels housing asylum seekers in anticipation of possible clashes between demonstrators and those attending counter protests, organised by Stand Up to Racism
Officers were also policing a number of local protests in opposition to continued Israeli military action in Gaza.
The rally in support of Palestine Action coincides with a National March for Palestine which also takes place in the capital on Saturday.
The Police Federation of England and Wales warned that summer will be a time of “high demand and high pressure” for forces across the country.
“Summer is to policing what winter is to the NHS,” a spokesperson said, adding that frequent disruption will “undoubtedly place significant demands on forces and the front line”.
“Public order duties often mean long shifts, cancelled leave, missed family time and real risk,” they added. “This isn’t just about numbers; it’s about resilience, wellbeing, and a system under strain.”
A wave of protests against the banning of the group has already seen police detain hundreds of people (Photo: Lucy North/PA Wire)Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan, who will lead the Met’s operation over the weekend, said officers from other forces have been deployed to London as it faces a “particularly busy few days, with many simultaneous protests and events that will require a significant policing presence”.
Multiple demonstrations will also put significant pressure on prisons, according to Tom Wheatley of the Prison Governors’ Association.
“Any spike in the number of people remanded into custody… that places additional pressure on the prison service, but particularly on reception prisons [which receive prisoners direct from the courts].”
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Mass arrests linked to protests like those in support of Palestine Action would be a particular issue for reception prison space, he added.
“We are operating at around 99 per cent of our operational capacity in prisons in England and Wales. That’s very, very tight.
Capacity gold command has been initiated by the Ministry of Justice as a result of the prison service nearing maximum capacity, which means a gold commander can direct the movement of prisoners around the estate to free up spaces in the areas they are most needed.
The latest prison population figures released by the Government show there are fewer than 1,500 jail spaces available.
While 1,000 people being arrested and jailed may sound like a lot, the vacant prison places are not necessarily in the right geographical area or in the right type of prison, Mr Wheatley said, which “creates issues”.
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