We'll continue to march, say pro-Palestinian group tells James Cleverly

Pro-Palestinian groups have hit back at James Cleverly's call to end protest marches, after the home secretary said "you've made your point".

In an interview with The Times, Mr Cleverly questioned whether holding regular marches "adds value" to their call for an end to fighting in Gaza.

Shamiul Joarder of Friends of Al-Aqsa (FOA) said: "We will continue to march until there is an immediate ceasefire."

The FOA is part of a coalition of groups organising the marches.

Representatives from all six groups - together with Labour MP and former shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, and campaign group Liberty - held a press conference earlier in Parliament.

They argued that anti-Muslim "hysteria" from some MPs and pressure from the government had provoked the Metropolitan Police into heavy-handed and "discriminatory" policing of "peaceful mass protests".

Some Conservative MPs have called for the Met to take a tougher line on protests.

The Metropolitan Police has been contacted for a response.

Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said: "The demonising of protests for Palestinian rights (is) driven by pro-Israel actors in the political establishment in order to deflect attention away from Israel's decades-long repression of the rights of the Palestinian people."

He said his organisation would "review" the need for further marches if a ceasefire is agreed between Israel and Hamas.

US President Joe Biden this week said he was hopeful a ceasefire deal could be in place by next week, with negotiations continuing.

"If we feel that there is a moment where a permanent ceasefire is called, then we will look at whether or not we need to continue marching," Mr Jamal told the meeting.

He also defended protesters using the chant "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" on marches.

Critics of the chant, including Israel and most Jewish groups, argue it implicitly calls for the destruction of Israel.

This interpretation is disputed by some pro-Palestinian activists who say that most people chanting it are calling for an end to Israel's occupation of the West Bank and blockade of Gaza, not the destruction of Israel itself.

Jewish Conservative MP Andrew Percy said the phrase, which was projected onto Parliament last week while a Gaza ceasefire debate was taking place in the Commons, was a "genocidal call".

Mr Jamal said his organisation had not projected the slogan on to Parliament but he defended the right of protesters to use it, "despite the rhetoric being used to demonise it".

He said it had "been used by the majority of Palestinians for decades" and "it speaks to the nature of how the rights of the Palestinian people are deprived".

He added: "It in no way calls for the abrogation of anybody else's rights."

Large demonstrations have been taking place across the UK since the 7 October attacks on Israel by Hamas and Israel began its military assault in response to destroy the group in Gaza.

On Wednesday, Mr Cleverly announced a £31m package to bolster protection for MPs, some of whom have spoken about being intimidated and harassed by pro-Palestinian backers.

Mr Cleverly told The Times it was vital that MPs were not "bullied" into changing their stance on the Gaza conflict due to threats from demonstrators.

"I genuinely don't know what these regular protests are seeking to achieve," he added.

"They have made their position clear, we recognise that there are many people in the UK that hold that position."

The government says it is also considering increasing the amount of notice protest organisers have to give the police, following a recommendation by the Commons Home Affairs Committee.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign says it does not support protests outside MPs' home, but has defended the right to stage peaceful protests outside MPs offices and council chambers.

Mr Joarder said campaigners would continue to lobby MPs and protest outside Parliament until there was a permanent ceasefire.

"We are encouraging democracy, we are bringing people closer to democracy," he told the meeting in Parliament.

March organisers are planning to raise their concerns with the Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist on Friday, ahead of further planned protests.