Pro-Palestinian march taking place in London today
Thousands of people are expected to gather in the capital
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to gather in London today for a march calling for peace in the Middle East.
Metropolitan Police have announced certain areas of the city, like Whitehall and Trafalgar Square will be cordoned off and 'off-limits' to protesters.
The march for Palestine has to stick to a specific route and finish by 5 pm. To ensure everyone's safety, police will be searching people for weapons, especially because there might be concerns about clashes between different groups.
Police say 2,000 officers will be deployed to help keep peace in the capital over the weekend as the march coincides with Armistice Day.
Where and when is the march happening?
Protesters will officially gather at Hyde Park, about a mile from Whitehall at noon, before marching to the US embassy in Vauxhall, south of the Thames.
The planned demonstration is set to end at 4pm.
Who is involved in the march?
The coalition of groups behind the march are the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Friends of Al-Aqsa, Stop the War Coalition, Muslim Association of Britain, Palestinian Forum in Britain and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
Trade unions, political groups such as the Socialist Worker and politicians including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn say they will be attending.
How many protesters are expected?
Organisers predict half a million people will gather in the capital, with police also bracing for huge numbers.
They believe it could be the “biggest demonstration” over the Israel-Hamas conflict.
2,000 Met police officers on duty
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said:
"We know the cumulative impact continued protest, increasing tensions, and rising hate crimes are having across London and the fear and anxiety our Jewish communities, in particular, are feeling. They have a right to feel safe in their city, knowing they can travel across London without feeling afraid of intimidation or harassment.
"We'll be using an extensive set of powers to prevent any disruption whatsoever to remembrance events, policing the demonstration as it passes through parts of the capital, while protecting our communities from those intent on inciting hate, violence and disorder."
It's feared the protests may impact remembrance services this Armistice Weekend, as a two minute silence will be conducted at 11:00 to remember all those who've lost their life in conflict.
Police say The Cenotaph will have a 24-hour police presence.
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