London Police Arrest Three at Protest Over Intifada Chants

London police arrested three people at a pro-Palestinian protest on Wednesday evening after two demonstrators shouted slogans involving calls for "intifada," marking the first enforcement of a new policy by two major UK forces to crack down on such chants amid rising threats to Jewish communities.

The incident occurred outside the Ministry of Justice building in Westminster, central London, where around 100 to 400 protesters had gathered, organized by groups including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Stop the War. Officers entered the crowd and detained the individuals, charging the two shouters with racially aggravated public order offenses and the third with obstructing the arrests, according to the Metropolitan Police. The protest, which included chants supporting Palestinian causes and criticism of UK politicians, had earlier moved from a nearby Hanukkah event.

The arrests followed a joint statement earlier that day from Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson, announcing an "enhanced approach" to phrases like "globalise the intifada." The term, derived from Arabic for "uprising," gained...