"Of all the people there they pick on a pregnant woman"
Several police officers have been accused of manhandling a woman, believed to be pregnant, during a pro-Palestine protest in London.
Thousands of pro-Palestine protesters took to the streets of London on January 18, 2025, and officers said the demonstration was initially peaceful.
However, the group then breached a line of police officers in a “coordinated effort to cause disruption”, police said.
Officers arrested 77 people and the Met Police said this was the highest number of arrests the force has seen and that it was in response to the “the most significant escalation in criminality”.
Protesters initially planned to rally around the Broadcasting House on Portland Place to protest the BBC’s alleged biased coverage of the conflict in Gaza.
Viral footage appeared to show a woman being manhandled by police as she was taken away.
As officers took her away, other protesters were heard shouting “shame” and “she has a baby”.
One person commented: “Of all the people there they pick on a pregnant woman, questions need to be asked.”
Another wrote on X: “5 police officers arrest one pregnant woman?!!!”
Despite claims the woman was pregnant, a Met spokesperson said there was “no record of any pregnant women in our custody as a result of the march”.
It came as thousands of demonstrators marched towards Trafalgar Square from Whitehall after speeches were made at the rally.
BREAKING: A PREGNANT woman was aggressively DRAGGED away and ARRESTED by police at the Pro Palestine protest in London today pic.twitter.com/TdsZOblBgz
— Khalissee (@Kahlissee) January 18, 2025
Commander Adam Slonecki, who led the policing operation, said:
“We could not have been clearer about the conditions in place. Protesters were to remain in Whitehall with no march towards the BBC.
“Our relationship with protest organisers has to be based on trust and good faith.
“If they say they will act responsibly and lawfully we need to be able to know those are genuine assurances.”
“That is why it was so deeply disappointing to see a deliberate effort, involving organisers of the demonstration, to breach the conditions and attempt to march out of Whitehall.
“Officers responded bravely and decisively, ensuring they got no further than Trafalgar Square and certainly nowhere near their target.
“I am quite confident this was a coordinated breach with the intention being to reach the BBC at Portland Place in defiance of the conditions.
“There is video footage of one of the organisers clearly inciting the crowd to join a march and one of the organisations involved has released a statement this evening confirming as much.
“At the same time as the group was attempting to force its way past police lines, camera crews were seen arriving in Portland Place. It is unlikely that the timing was simply a coincidence.
“We are in possession of footage from officers’ body-worn cameras, from CCTV and from social media.
“We know who was involved in leading the movement of so many people through police lines.
“Investigations are now underway and we will make every effort to bring prosecutions against those we identify.”