'Coconuts' trial: London protest arrest prompted by tweet by 'secretive' pro-Israel blog

The London Metropolitan Police has told a court that it has used “anonymous right-wing” accounts to police the pro-Palestine marches that take place in central London. 

Marieha Hussain, 37, pleaded not guilty to a racially aggravated public order offence on Thursday at the beginning of her two-day trial at Westminster Magistrates Court. 

Police charged Hussain after she held a placard depicting former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and then Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who are both British Asians, as coconuts during a pro-Palestine march in London.  

Chris Humphreys, a senior media and communications manager for the London Metropolitan Police, told a court on Thursday the police had used Harry’s Place and other accounts that post protest-related pictures to inform its policing of pro-Palestine marches. 

During proceedings, Humphreys explained his role within the Met's operations room in Lewisham and said he managed a team of three to four officers tasked with "responding to social media commentary" related to the protest.  

Read more: 'Coconuts' trial: London protest arrest prompted by tweet by 'secretive' pro-Israel blog