British lawmakers consider banning anti-Israel Al Quds Day march in London
British politicians on both sides of the party lines have expressed concerns about plans for an Al Quds Day march against Israel, planned for March 15 in London.
Al Quds Day, or simply ‘Quds Day,’ refers to the Arabic name for Jerusalem, and was instituted by the Islamic Regime of Iran as an annual day to protest against the “usurper Israel.” Quds Day has since become a fixture among Muslims worldwide, taking place on the last Friday of Ramadan.
Ayatollah Khomeini first announced the event in August 1979, saying it was a day “to proclaim the international solidarity of Muslims in support of the legitimate rights of the Muslim people of Palestine.”
He continued, “I ask all the Muslims of the world and the Muslim governments to join together to sever the hand of the usurper and its supporters,” saying that Ramadan was a “determining period” which could determine the fate of the Palestinian people. “I ask God Almighty for the victory of the Muslims over the infidels,” he added.
In the United Kingdom, the march is being organized by the proscribed group Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), which is currently under investigation by the Charity Commission over funding concerns, according to Jewish News.
Support for terrorist groups such as Hezbollah has been identified at previous marches, and protesters campaigning for the march to go ahead this year have been seen holding signs saying that the late Ayatollah Khamenei was on the “right side of history.”
IHRC said in a statement on Sunday that Khamenei was a “rare role model” and that his “legacy will be etched into history as someone who resisted oppression and stood on the right side of history."
David Taylor, Labour Member of Parliament for Hemel Hempstead, said: “The police must stop this march from going ahead. We cannot allow hundreds of supporters of Iran’s hardline regime to march through London calling for strikes on Israel and death to the West. The march is organised by a charity with a history of support for the ayatollahs and Islamist terrorism. In the past, we have seen open support for terrorist organisations at these demonstrations. These are people who clearly hate Britain. Why should we be OK with them marching on our streets?”
Luke Akehurst, Labour MP for North Durham, agreed, saying, “It’s completely inappropriate for supporters of the Iranian regime to be allowed to march through London while British forces are under attack from Iran, and risks serious public disorder,” he said. “I would urge the authorities to ban this march.”
Lord Austin of Dudley, a former Labour MP, also expressed strong disapproval: “It is outrageous that supporters of Iran’s terror regime are allowed to march on Britain’s streets calling for the destruction of Western democracy. I’m all for freedom of speech, but this is a hate march by fans of a theocratic Islamist dictatorship that recently slaughtered 36,000 of its own citizens who dared to come out and protest against it.”
The organization United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) explained that while nominally about Jerusalem, the day serves as “a forum for regime figures to call for hostilities against Israel and the liberation of Palestine, envisaging the inevitable elimination of the 'Zionist regime.'”
They added that chants of “Death to Israel” are commonly heard at Quds Day rallies, often accompanied by “Death to America." UANI warned, “The rhetoric often slides into overt anti-Semitism, including characterizations of Zionism as a cosmic evil and statements denying the Holocaust.”
The Metropolitan Police said, “We recognise that there will be more attention on this protest given the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. It is likely that numbers will be increased, and the possibility of a counter-protest is greater. We will keep all these matters under careful review and will publish the details of our policing plan closer to the time.”
The United Arab Emirates has begun restricting the enrollment of its citizens in British universities, citing concerns that they could be radicalized as Islamic extremism has become more widespread in the UK.
Jo Elizabeth has a great interest in politics and cultural developments, studying Social Policy for her first degree and gaining a Masters in Jewish Philosophy from Haifa University, but she loves to write about the Bible and its primary subject, the God of Israel. As a writer, Jo spends her time between the UK and Jerusalem, Israel.
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