Sir Mark Rowley
Metropolitan Police Commissioner
New Scotland Yard
8-10 Broadway
London
SW1H 0AZ
8 March 2026
Dear Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley,
We are writing ahead of the annual al-Quds Day march that will take place on 15 March 2026.
It has come to our attention this week that several pro-Israel media outlets are once again inciting hatred against attendees, IHRC and the other organisations who will participate in the demonstration. It has been reported that MPs Luke Akehurst, David Taylor and Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp and peers Lord Walney, Lord Austin of Dudley seek to present the Al Quds Day demonstration as antisemitic and supportive of terrorism based on exaggerated and patently false claims.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
These baseless statements, which seek to vilify and demonize a peaceful event, are not only unhelpful but, of even greater concern, can lead to violent consequences. This was evident in June 2017, when Darren Osborne, radicalised by media and political misrepresentations of the Al-Quds Day event, planned to ram demonstrators with his truck. Having failed to break the police cordon, he instead went to a north London mosque and drove his vehicle into a group of worshippers, killing an elderly man. Attendees were protected from his attack at the Al-Quds Day event only because a sterile environment was created around the march route.
Given this very real and urgent concern, and for the safety of all those taking part, we request assurance that the Met will undertake a rigorous risk assessment to ensure the protection of our attendees.
We would also like to state that the unjustified vilification of this annual event will not impact or alter our long‑standing positive relationship with the Met on the day. In the 40‑plus years that the Al‑Quds Day demonstration has taken place, it has always been good‑natured and peaceful. Both the Met and the judge in the Osborne case have acknowledged its peaceful, family‑friendly character.
Yours sincerely,
Massoud Shadjareh,
Chair, Islamic Human Rights Commission
[1] https://www.thejc.com/news/uk/al-quds-day-ban-pro-iran-carnival-of-jew-hate-in-london-mps-urge-uk9so4yl
[2] https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/al-quds-march-london-iran-b1273284.html
[3] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/03/04/ban-pro-iran-regime-hate-march-tories-met-chief/
[4] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/03/04/ban-pro-iran-regime-hate-march-tories-met-chief/
[5] https://www.thetimes.com/uk/defence/article/iranian-regime-march-london-ban-xzdtv256r?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqfqMktAGfQpbdKQ1RbPfDnzAQDW45WazG2k8TRKH3RLtJOAsQnXU9cxL_IBk1w%3D&gaa_ts=69a9b1db&gaa_sig=LXhlgrawR5-qvXUoiXnxs5D9B2jQHC9TZhP9-Wt0xKkskQ1A4av8cZHR5NpiXBjYW_WVBj0dXj9IwAyPGMv6Gg%3D%3D
[6] https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/mps-call-for-ban-on-londons-al-quds-day-march-amid-extremism-concerns/
