A protest is planned at the Israeli embassy in London on Monday evening, and neighbours are clearly anticipating things to turn ugly, as neighbours not behind the police line board up their windows.
Workmen boarded up the porch and street-facing windows of a neoclassical building on the corner of Palace Green Road and Kensington High Street on Monday afternoon, just yards away from the police checkpoint guarding the row of embassies and diplomatic houses beyond. While attendees at the planned protest called by the left-wing UK campaign group Stop The War called “Emergency Demo, Stand With Palestine, End Apartheid” will be prevented by the police line from reaching the Israeli embassy itself, neighbours are clearly anticipating some degree of violence as they move to protect their own property.
The building, which is half a street away from the Israeli embassy itself, does not appear to be directly related to the diplomatic mission and is attached to a large Edwardian block holding a restaurant, department store, and other retail businesses.
This proactive approach to protection may be a case of having had to pay for new windows after an anti-Israel demonstration one too many times: historic images of the embassy-adjacent building also show it boarded up in June 2021. Breitbart London recorded its windows as having been broken at a protest in May 2021.
The police check line is staffed by officers of the Metropolitan Police Diplomatic Protection Group.
Workers board up a a building on the corner of a road leading to the Embassy of Israel, in west London on October 9, 2023. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP) (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)
Police officers stand on duty at a road leading to the Embassy of Israel, as people take part in a ‘Stand with Palestine’ demonstration, in west London on October 9, 2023. (Photo by Daniel LEAL / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images)
Indicating, perhaps, the level of disturbance anticipated today the plate glass window on the front of the police gatehouse guarding the approach to the treelined street of embassies also appears to have had protective sheeting put in place as of Monday evening. Again, historic imagery shows these windows always open during daylight hours in years past.
London’s police said they were intensifying patrols across the city in response to a rise in “incidents relating to the conflict” over the weekend to “reassure our communities”. As reported today, a British government minister told residents of the UK to think twice before going out to protest in favour of Palestine, pointing out that Hamas is an illegal organisation in Britain.
Junior government minister Lee Rowley MP said the government did “not encourage” people to protest in support of the terrorist group, saying while there is a right to protest in the UK, there is not a right to glorify violence. Those in Britain should “be extremely cautious and should know exactly where the law is”, he said.
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 9: Police stand guard as people take part in a demonstration in support of Palestine at the Israeli Embassy on October 9, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
People take part in a Palestine Solidarity Campaign demonstration near the Israeli Embassy, in Kensingston, London. Picture date: Monday October 9, 2023. (Photo by Jordan Pettitt/PA Images via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 9: People take part in a demonstration in support of Palestine at the Israeli Embassy on October 9, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
People take part in a Palestine Solidarity Campaign demonstration near the Israeli Embassy, in Kensingston, London. (Photo by Jordan Pettitt/PA Images via Getty Images)
