Officers clashed with pro-Palestine demonstrators across the country today as protesters took part in 'economic blockades' amid fears that an unprecedented 350-missile attack on Israel by Iran could escalate the war in the Middle East.
Hundreds of people gathered in areas of London and Kent thought to have links to Israeli drone manufacturer Elbit Systems to chant and unfurl banners as police struggled to keep crowds under control.
People had been encouraged by pro-Palestinian groups to participate in the 'economic blockade' by missing work or school and only making purchases from companies sympathetic to their cause.
In London, chaotic footage shows dozens of officers appearing to jostle with protesters outside One Curzon in Mayfair, in an attempt to keep them out of the road with umbrellas getting crushed in the crowds and some people having to step over bikes parked on the pavement.
The office block is home to London Metric, which protest group Palestine Action has previously claimed rents property to Elbit systems.
Met Police on Curzon Street in Mayfair, London, this morning attempting to keep a crowd of pro-Palestinian protesters under control
Officers could also be seen trying to hold back a crowd charging towards them nearby
Protesters held up a sign reading, 'evict the arms companies' while crowds chanted, 'the people united will never be defeated'
Police officers pictured pushing a group away from an office block in Mayfair, London
Some officers filmed the commotion in London while others formed a cordon
When police eventually formed a cordon in the area, demonstrators held up banners and shouted through megaphones as the crowds grew.
The group had gathered in front of the block in one of the capital's most expensive areas and held up a huge banner with the words, 'stop arming Israel'.
Officers, some holding cameras to film the commotion, then rushed behind the crowd holding the sign and pushed demonstrators, many of whom chanted 'free Palestine', away from the office block.
Nearby, a large group of Met Police officers struggled to stop a group of charging protesters, most wearing black, as they rushed down the street.
A large group of people held up a banner reading, 'evict the arms companies' while crowds chanted, 'the people united will never be defeated'.
Some demonstrators banged drums to stir up the rally further as people started jumping in the air while police watched on.
A number of protesters waved Palestine flags and a sign reading, 'Israeli weapons kill in Sudan' could be seen.
London Metric has been approached for comment.
Palestine Action activists previously targeted One Curzon in December by throwing blood red paint on the building in the early hours of the morning.
Two women and a man were then arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.
After the December protest, the group wrote on X, formerly Twitter: 'Palestine Action halts operations at London Metric - who rent property to Elbit Systems.
'If you do business with Israeli weapons manufacturers, you should expect us. No more business as usual for genocide profiteers!'
Similar demonstrations also took place in Kent today as protesters from Palestine Action descended on the Discovery Park, in Sandwich, in a blockade 'making access to the business estate impossible'.
The site, which has been dubbed one of the UK's top science parks for pharmaceutical firms, is also home to Instro Precision Ltd, a subsidiary of Elbit systems.
Footage shared on X, formerly Twitter, shows demonstrators setting off green smoke flares, lying down in sleeping bags in the middle of the car park, with others holding up Palestinian flags while chanting: 'Shut down Elbit now'.
Similar demonstrations also took place in Kent today as protesters from Palestine Action descended on the Discovery Park, in Sandwich, in a blockade 'making access to the business estate impossible'
Demonstrators in Kent could be seen lying in the middle of the car park
Footage shared on X, formerly Twitter, shows demonstrators setting off green smoke flares, with others holding up Palestinian flags while chanting: 'Shut down Elbit now'
A woman was filmed being placed under arrests for allegedly attempting to join the blockade
A spokesperson from Kent Police said: 'Kent Police officers are currently at the scene of a protest at Discovery Park near Sandwich'
Protesters held up a huge banner with the words, 'stop arming Israel' in front of the office block
Signs reading, 'Israeli weapons kill in Sudan' could also be seen throughout the demonstration
The scenes come as the world holds its breath over fears of World War III breaking out
chaotic footage shows dozens of officers appearing to jostle with protesters oin an attempt to keep them out of the road with umbrellas getting crushed in the crowds and some people having to step over bikes parked on the pavement
Nearby, a large group of Met Police officers struggled to stop a group of charging protesters, most wearing black, as they rushed down the street
Some protesters can be seen swaddled in large Palestine flags as they lie on the tarmac of the car park, surrounded by officers.
A woman was filmed being placed under arrests for allegedly attempting to join the blockade. Footage shows the woman, faced down as three officers place her in cuffs.
This is not the first time that Discovery Park has been targeted by Palestine Action, with eight protesters from the group taking part in a blockade just three weeks ago by attaching themselves to each other through lock ons - a technique used by demonstrators to make it harder for police officers to make arrests.
As the landlord for the weapons factor, the business estate was attended by 150 protesters from unions in October, including Unite, UNISON, the NEU, UCU, the BMA and BFAWU, demonstrating at the base over the war in Israel.
Palestine Action posted footage of the protest on social media, calling for others to join them, and wrote: 'Discovery Park is the base of Elbit’s Instro Precision weapons factory, who make sniper rifle sights for the Israeli army to commit genocide.
'As part of the economic blockade for Palestine, we’ve shut them down!'
A spokesperson from Kent Police said: 'Kent Police officers are currently at the scene of a protest at Discovery Park near Sandwich.'
It has not been confirmed by the force if any arrests were made.
At a press conference on Sunday evening, IDF Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari (pictured) said Iran's plan had 'failed'
A G7 meeting took place yesterday as leaders condemned Iran's air attack on Israel 'in the strongest terms'
Drones or missiles vying for targets at undisclosed locations in northern Israel on April 14
Parts of a missile launched by Iran are found in Amman, Jordan, on April 14
After Iran launched drones and missiles towards Israel, near Arad, this is the remains of a rocket booster which reportedly injured a seven-year-old child
The scenes come as the world holds its breath over fears of World War III breaking out after Iran carried out an unprecedented 350-missile attack on Israel overnight on Saturday in a massive retaliatory attack.
Iran claimed that the fierce bombardment of Israel is a response to the April 1 airstrike on an Iranian consulate building in the Syrian capital Damascus, which killed 12 Iranians and two senior commanders.
Iran has blamed Israel for the airstrike, but the country has not yet confirmed to carrying out what Iran has dubbed 'Operation True Promise'.
The attack began on Saturday at around 8pm and lasted around five hours, according to US officials.
During the attack, explosions were heard across cities in Israel, including Tel Aviv and were even heard in Jerusalem as air raid sirens blared in over 720 locations.
Israel is reportedly considering whether to 'go big' in its retaliation against Iran despite fears of an all-out conflict in the Middle East, after the Islamic republic launched hundreds of missiles at the Jewish State over the weekend.
The country's war cabinet met on Sunday to decide between military retaliation, or to respond to Iran's attack in a more measured way, according to the Financial Times - citing an Israeli figure familiar with government deliberations.
Nationalist figures in Israel called on the five-person cabinet - which includes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - to choose the former, despite fears from allies of a 'catastrophic escalation' leading to a wider Middle East war and World War Three.
'We need a crushing attack,' Itamar Ben-Gvir wrote on X. Finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said if Israel 'hesitates' in its response, then 'we will put ourselves and our children in existential danger.'
Last night Israel described the strike as a 'declaration of war' and confirmed it has approved plans for 'offensive and defensive action'.
The country's president Isaac Herzog insisted that Israel did not want a war but suggested they would retaliate after Iran's audacious airstrike early on Sunday.
He said it was 'about time the world faces this empire of evil in Tehran' and makes it clear that its behaviour is 'unacceptable'.
President Herzog told Sky News: 'It's a declaration of war... we are considering all options and I'm quite confident we will take the necessary steps to protect and defend our people.'
Israel's chief military spokesman, Daniel Hagari, said Iran's attack involved more than 120 ballistic missiles, 170 drones, and more than 30 cruise missiles, according to reports.
A seven-year-old girl was also severely injured by missile fragments, while other patients sustained minor injuries and some were treated for anxiety.
The attack also came as the latest attempt to reach a ceasefire in the war in Gaza appeared to falter, with Israel accusing Hamas of rejecting a truce proposal.
Yesterday Israel showed their first signs of retaliation after levelling a building in east Lebanon and vowing a response to Iran's attack.
A source within Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group said Israel struck one of its buildings close to the Syrian border.
Leaders of the G7 - including UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak - also held talks on Sunday in which they 'unequivocally' condemned Iran's attack on Israel and warned that the risk of an 'uncontrollable regional escalation' must be avoided.
The UK was one of several countries, including the US, which helped counter Iran's bombardment - in its first ever direct strike on Israeli grounds.
Prime Minster Rishi Sunak has confirmed RAF pilots shot down 'a number' of Iranian attack drones while intercepting the attack of Israel
This map shows sites around Israel which the IDF has issued protective warnings to residents
Additional RAF jets were deployed over Iraq and Syria, not Israel, the Ministry of Defence said.
Speaking to reporters in Downing Street, Mr Sunak said if Iran had been successful in their attack 'the fallout for regional stability would be hard to overstate'.
He did not confirm how many Iranian drones were shot down by British forces.
On Saturday, before the attack took place, the Met arrested nine people as thousands of pro-Palestine activists and Israel supporting counter protesters marched through London.
The Met said in a statement: 'During a pro-Palestine protest and counter protests in Westminster on Saturday, 13 April the Met arrested nine people for public order offences.'
Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in London to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and urge the Government to stop all arms sales to Israel.
Protesters marched from Russell Square to Parliament Square where speakers led chants of 'free Palestine' and addressed crowds of people waving Palestinian flags and holding signs calling for a 'ceasefire now' and an end to arms sales.
One man was arrested for a public order offence after making cut-throat gestures towards protesters at a significantly smaller pro-Israel counter-demonstration at Aldwych, the Metropolitan Police said.
The Met Police arrested nine people on Saturday as thousands of pro-Palestine activists and Israel supporting counter protesters marched through London amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza (police pictured at the pro-Palestine protest in London)
People hold a variety of flags and placards at the protests in London on Saturday, including Palestine and Israel national flags
Pro-Palestinian supporters speak with a police officer during a protest organised by Turning Point UK in London
The counter-protesters exchanged chants with the larger pro-Palestinian march as it passed by, calling for a release of hostages held by Hamas.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which organised the Pro-Palestinian protest, said some 80,000 people attended the march.
The Met said they deployed nearly 1,000 officers to police the events, which also included a demonstration held at the Cenotaph by right-wing group Turning Point UK.
