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Police In London Two men who called for “intifada” during pro-Palestinian protests were arrested, prompting authorities to tighten hate speech laws following a deadly attack on Hanukkah celebrations. Australia,
The arrests on Wednesday came just hours after police in London and Manchester, England, announced a crackdown on protesters chanting slogans such as “Globalize the intifada.” The Arabic word intifada is usually translated as “rebellion”.
While pro-Palestinian protesters say the slogan describes worldwide protests against the war GazaJewish leaders say it increases tensions and encourages attacks on Jews, including an attack on Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday that killed 15 people.
London Metropolitan Police Commissioner mark rowley And Chief Constable Stephen Watson of Greater Manchester Police said they had decided to take a tougher approach following the attacks on Bondi Beach and a Manchester synagogue on October 2, which left two people dead.
“We know communities are concerned about placards and chants such as ‘Globalisation of the Intifada’, and anyone using them at future protests or in a targeted manner should expect action from the Met and GMP,” they said in a joint statement issued on Wednesday. “Violent acts have occurred, the context has changed – words have meaning and consequences.”
Hours before Wednesday night’s demonstration in support of Palestine Action, a pro-Palestinian group that was banned as a terrorist organization earlier this year, London police warned protesters to be mindful of an earlier announcement.
The Metropolitan Police Service said on social media that two protesters were arrested for “racially aggravated public order offences” after chanting intifada slogans during a protest outside the Ministry of Justice on Wednesday night. A third person was arrested for trying to interfere with the initial arrests.
The term “intifada” is used to describe two major Palestinian uprisings against Israeli policy in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the first beginning in 1987 and the second beginning in 2000. During the recent conflict in Gaza, the slogan “Globalize the intifada” has been widely used by pro-Palestinian protesters around the world.
The debate over such language comes after anti-Semitic hate crimes and online abuse increased in Britain following the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza.
About 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage during the initial attack on Israel. More than 70,660 Palestinians have been killed during the upcoming Israeli campaign in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry.