A 16-year-old boy has been arrested after two Jewish men were injured by a glass bottle thrown during a pro-Israel counter-protest in central London on Saturday.
The incident occurred shortly before 3pm near Waterloo Bridge as people marched through the capital in support of Gaza and against war with Iran. The protest was organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Stop the War Coalition.
Martin and Steve (surnames withheld), members of grassroots organisation Stop the Hate UK, were standing at the north end of Waterloo Bridge behind a police barrier when they were struck by a glass bottle thrown from the direction of the passing march.
“There was a thump on my chest. I looked down and saw a bottle at my feet,” Martin told Jewish News. “It didn’t smash, but it still had liquid in it. I picked it up and handed it to police.”
Steve said he was hit on the shoulder and twisted his side reacting to the impact. “It was more of a shock than anything else. We didn’t even see it coming,” he said. “We were just about to start the speeches and the main parade had passed – then suddenly we were attacked.”
Both men suffered minor injuries but did not require hospital treatment. Martin, who has attended numerous demonstrations, said this was the first time he had been physically assaulted. “We’re easy targets. I’ve seen attempted violence before, but never directed at me. I want to see those responsible charged.”
Police officers stand in front of Stop the Hate UK’s fenced-off counter-protest area on Waterloo Bridge.
Credit: Louis Errington/YouTube
Steve described the wider atmosphere of the protest as “filthy” and “antisemitic from start to finish.”
The suspect fled the scene down the Strand. He was chased by Russell Collins, a Jewish man observing the protest, who followed him into the Savoy Hotel. “There was no way I was letting them get away with it. We’ve just had enough,” Collins told Jewish News. “He did it in front of everyone, knowing there were police nearby. He thought they’d walk off like usual – but not this time.”
Collins detained the suspect in the hotel’s bar area until police arrived. “He ran through the tea room and into a dead end. I made clear it was a citizen’s arrest and waited with him until officers took over.”
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed the boy was initially arrested on suspicion of affray and later further arrested on suspicion of common assault after it was established that a second person had been hit. He has been bailed while enquiries continue.
In a statement, the Met pushed back on criticism over its response, saying: “It is simply not true to suggest officers did not intervene. They gave chase alongside members of the public when the bottle was thrown.”
Police and members of the public give chase along the Strand moments after the bottle was thrown.
Credit: Louis Errington/YouTube
Footage live-streamed from the protest shows officers pursuing the group down the Strand shortly after the attack. “The fact a member of the public in a T-shirt and shorts caught up more quickly than officers wearing body armour, personal protective equipment, trousers and boots is not entirely surprising,” the Met added.
Stop the Hate UK said Saturday’s protest was “marred by violent incidents, including glass bottles being thrown at our demonstrators, resulting in injuries.” The group added: “At a time when risks to the Jewish community are at an all-time high, it is imperative that the safety and security of Jewish protesters remains a top priority for the police.” It called on the Met to ensure Jewish and Free Iranian communities are “central to their planning and operations – if more serious incidents are to be avoided.”
The Stop the Hate UK counter-protest was held under the banner “Jews and Iranians against the IRGC” and featured Israeli and Iranian opposition flags. Participants sang the national anthem at the end of the demonstration. The group says it stands against antisemitism, terrorism, and extremism on all sides.
The Met said that the incident remain under investigation.
