Oxford Circus at standstill as hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters stage sit-in over ceasefire

Oxford Circus came to a standstill after hundreds of protesters staged a sit-in for Palestine.

A huge crowd descended on the central London area at midday on Saturday, with protesters marching to the juction with Regent Street before blocking the road.

Palestinian flags were held aloft as others let off flares, played bongos and lead chants of “Ceasefire now”, “from the River to the Sea” and “Israel is a terror state”.

The event was organised by The Free Palestine Coalition which includes Black Lives Matter UK, Sisters Uncut and Black Jewish Alliance, who said there would be “no business as usual while Britain is supporting a genocide that has killed 9,000 people”. Organisers encouraged bystanders to join: “Don’t just stand there, sit down with us!”

The Metropolitan Police said officers are responding to the incident. It said: “This behaviour clearly impacts on London’s ability to function normally and we are working quickly to reopen the road.” Dozens of officers cordoned off the group and countless buses were stopped in their tracks with no room to turn around due to the sit-in.

Police have confirmed three arrests were made at Piccadilly Circus. On X, formerly known as Twitter, a statement read: “Officers have made three arrests at Piccadilly Circus. One was arrested after they were seen displaying a placard that could incite hated, contrary to Section 12 of the Terrorism Act.

“Two other people were arrested; one for breaching conditions of Section 12 of the Public Order Act and the other for assaulting a police officer. All three have been taken to a central London police station.”

The protesters began this morning outside the BBC in Portland Place with a view to merge with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign rally which took place later on Saturday at Trafalgar Square. Demonstrators continued their sit-in action at Trafalgar Square and Charing Cross station. The London actions are part of a series of demonstrations taking place across the UK in support of a ceasefire.

Zami Jackson, a spokesperson for the Free Palestine Coalition, said: “This demonstration represents the huge numbers of people across the country who are devastated by the genocide in Gaza and are demanding the UK government calls for a ceasefire now.

“We can and must come together to demand justice for the Palestinian people. We will escalate our protests until the government, the media and the people in power reflect the will of the people.”

One mother who brought her two children in a pram to Trafalagar Square said: “It is amazing how many people are here but I expected even more.”

Nadia Dunne, Jordan Allison, 29, and their sons Aran, 10, and younger brother Rian travelled from Buckingham to show their support with homemade signs.

Their mother Nadia said: “It is so nice to see support you can feel very isolated at home, looking at the horrific images coming out of Gaza.“The boys need to recognise what genocide looks like.“I want my boys not to be afraid to be counted on the right side of humanity.”

Sea of Palestinian flags took over Trafalgar Square as families, some in tears, demanded a ceasefire. Police filmed speeches from steps of The National Gallery.

It comes after a week of similar disruptive actions at major UK transport hubs – Birmingham New Street and three London stations including Waterloo, Liverpool Street and Kings Cross.

Scotland Yard said officers have been “briefed to be vigilant and will proactively engage and enforce any allegations of crime” at such protests, days after two women were charged under the Terrorism Act over paraglider pictures pinned to their backs.

Tens of thousands of pro-Palestine protesters have attended marches across the UK since Israel renewed its attacks on Gaza in recent weeks, calling for an immediate ceasefire due to Israel’s continued bombardment on the Gaza strip in retaliation for Hamas’s terror attack on Israel on 7 October.

Previous protests, and counter demonstrations, have come under scrutiny, with a small number of campaigners arrested for alleged hate crimes.

On Friday, a row erupted when Rishi Sunak backed a crackdown on what he condemned as “provocative and disrespectful” pro-Palestine marches due to be held on Armistice Day.

The prime minister said the “right to remember, in peace and dignity, those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice” had to be protected and Home secretary Suella Braverman went a step further, claiming it was unacceptable to “desecrate” the day with a “hate march” through London.

But the Labour mayor of London Sadiq Khan accused the government of playing politics over the “terrible tragedy” unfolding in Gaza, after organisers taking to the streets on November 11 said they had no plans to disrupt Remembrance weekend events.

Organisers said previous marches had attracted 100,000 people and that claims they were disrespectful was “dangerous and disingenuous”.

Next week, on November 11, a national protest in London is due to take place but organisers have insisted they have no plans to disrupt the 11am silence and that their route will avoid the Cenotaph altogether.

Five people were arrested during a pro-Palestinian sit-in at London’s King’s Cross station on Friday night.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said he had given an order to allow police to stop the demonstration on Friday evening under Section 14a of the Public Order Act 1986.

One video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, appears to show a man draped in a Palestinian flag shouting “free, free Palestine” while being carried away from the station by three officers.