UK Police Urge Students to Cancel October 7 Pro-Palestinian Protest in London UK police urge students to cancel a pro-Palestinian protest planned for October 7 in London, citing concerns over the day of mourning and potential disorder. Police have urged students to call off a pro-Palestinian protest planned for the third anniversary of the October 7 atrocity in London on Wednesday, saying it is not the right day to be holding that event. Officers have vowed to take a robust stance on a day of mourning and a day of reflection if students ignore their plea and take to the streets of central London. Met Police Concerns Over Protest RouteThe protest is being advertised on social media by student activists, who say they intend to take to the street to demand an end to the Palestinian genocide. The Met admitted it sounds incredible, but attempts to find someone willing to take responsibility for the march have failed despite significant efforts.James Harman, the Met's Deputy Assistant Commissioner for operations, said serious concerns have been expressed about the impact of this march on students and staff, particularly those who are Jewish, the route, and the very specific day on which it is being held. He said the Met has attempted to find and contact the student organisers to ask them to carefully consider the impact their event will have and to hold it on a different day. Finding the organisers, frankly, has so far proved difficult, he added, urging them to reconsider and make contact urgently so they can plan their events on a different date.He asked the estimated 300 students planning to march to reflect on the impact and distress it will cause on this very significant day and exercise their right to protest on a different date. Pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside King's College London on October 7 2025, the second anniversary of the Hamas attack on Nova Festival in Israel and subsequent attacks on Gaza by Israel. The plans have already been condemned by Jewish organisations and senior politicians.Police Vow Robust Policing on October 7DAC Harman said he does not think it is the right day to be holding that event. If it goes ahead, it is not because the Met have permitted it, he said, adding that they will have to police it. He said the march, along with another pro-Palestinian protest planned for Saturday, October 10, and possible disorder ahead of the Holborn and St Pancras by-election next week, has the potential to fuel further tensions in London. It comes amid reports of altercations last weekend during canvassing for Sir Keir Starmer's seat.DAC Harman said the Met has absolutely no desire to get involved in politics or to take sides in culture wars or wars of words between opposing groups. That is very clearly not their role, he said. But the Met absolutely has a role, and policing has a role, when it comes to preventing serious disorder, violence, and hate crime, and they will be robust in doing so.Students marched from King's College and stopped at various campuses along the way, calling for an end to genocide in Gaza. On Wednesday, hundreds of students plan to march between four London universities on the third anniversary of the atrocity in which Hamas militants murdered more than 1,200 civilians and took 251 hostages. The protest is being advertised on social media by student activists, who say they intend to take to the street to demand an end to the Palestinian genocide. The Met said they are making every effort through universities and others to identify organisers of the shadowy University of London Coalition responsible for advertising the event.Jewish Leaders Condemn Planned ProtestDAC Harman said they have found people who are attending, but they are not willing to take responsibility as the organiser of the event. He acknowledged that it sounds incredible.Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, condemned all those marching on October 7. She said those planning public demonstrations on this day know exactly what October 7 represents. They know of the savagery, the sexual violence, the murder and kidnapping committed by Hamas, yet they still choose this date, she said. This is a disgusting attack on the memory of the victims of Hamas and those still grieving, carrying the pain and trauma this anniversary brings.Raphi Leon, president of the Union of Jewish Students, said they hope the organisers heed the calls of the police to do the right thing and do not hold the protest on October 7. If the protest does go ahead, they call on the police to use their powers to the fullest extent, including ensuring that the route of the protest does not go immediately outside of university campuses. Jewish students deserve one day to mourn the horrific events free of intimidation.Meanwhile, Education Secretary Lucy Powell said the country certainly should not be doing anything other than marking those attacks on October 7 with deep mourning for those who lost their lives and those who were victims of that terrible Hamas attack.