The Metropolitan Police are searching for a woman and several others seen holding signs declaring “Hezbollah are not terrorists” during a pro-Palestinian march in London on Saturday.
The protest, organized by the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign and other groups, attracted thousands of demonstrators rallying against Israel’s treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. The protest occurred almost a year after Israel launched a counter-offensive in response to Hamas’ deadly incursion on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people.
During the protest, a woman was spotted holding a sign reading “Hezbollah are not terrorists” and was heard saying, “All Shia are Hezbollah. All Shia around the world are Hezbollah.” When questioned about Hezbollah’s designation as a terrorist organization, she said, “I think Israel is a terrorist organization.
The Metropolitan Police arrested 16 people at the protest, which began in Bedford Square and included a march from Russell Square to Whitehall. The protest was ahead of memorial events marking a year since Hamas’ attack on Israel.
In addition to the woman holding the Hezbollah sign, there were other inflammatory messages at the rally, including signs that read “I love Hezbollah.” One attendee wore a t-shirt comparing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler, while others carried placards with messages such as “Zionism causes Polio” and “They will study this like we studied the Holocaust.
The police confirmed that they were continuing efforts to identify the woman and others associated with the signs. Anyone with information is asked to contact the authorities.
The event also featured chants of “Ceasefire now,” “Palestine will be free,” and “Hands off Lebanon” from pro-Palestinian supporters, along with counter-protests that led to several interventions by police to prevent clashes.
The Metropolitan Police emphasized that any public display of support for a proscribed organization, such as Hezbollah, is a criminal offence, and those found participating in such activities risk arrest.
The incident comes months after three women were found guilty of terror offences for displaying images of paragliders during a pro-Palestine march in October 2023, just a week after Hamas used paragliders in the attack on Israel.
