London police say no grounds to ban pro-Palestinian march on Saturday

The head of London's Metropolitan Police has said there are no grounds to ban a demonstration in support of Gaza planned for Saturday.

The comments by commissioner Mark Rowley come in response to calls from the government for the police to look into the march in case it disrupts planned Armistice Day commemorations.

"At this time, the intelligence surrounding the potential for serious disorder this weekend does not meet the threshold to apply for a ban," Rowley said in a statement.

“The organisers have shown complete willingness to stay away from the Cenotaph and Whitehall and have no intention of disrupting the nation’s remembrance events. Should this change, we’ve been clear we will use powers and conditions available to us to protect locations and events of national importance at all costs."

He added that there had been "an escalation of violence and criminality by small groups attaching themselves to demonstrations", however.

Protests against Israeli actions in Gaza have been happening on a weekly basis in London for almost a month.