Policing pro-Palestine protests every weekend until Christmas is not sustainable, a top policing body has warned.
The Metropolitan Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file police, said protests are pulling officers away from neighbourhood duties and that there was not a “magic box of public order officers”.
There have been demonstrations protesting Israeli attacks on Gaza and calling for a ceasefire every weekend since October 7.
The largest took place on Armistice Day, when upwards of 300,000 people made their way across London.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Rick Prior, the chairman of the federation, said pro-Palestinian protests and new Just Stop Oil protests would strain resources.
While the force has the numbers to safely police the protests, Mr Prior said, ongoing disruption will inevitably pull officers from other duties.
He said: “We have got the resources but to do it week in week out is not sustainable. It’ll be the same officers who are getting their leave cancelled every weekend.
“They are being taken away from their communities, neighbourhood policing, whatever that it is that they do on a day-to-day normal job outside of public order policing
“We have no magic box of police officers that we open for public order. They are your normal, day-to-day frontline staff.”
Mr Prior also warned that officers were being moved from specialist roles to help with the protests.
He added: “So officers from the professional standards department (which handles misconduct cases) are coming out on weekends. But in doing that, they are working one less day a week on misconduct cases, which obviously will end up being an issue.”
More than 120 pro-Palestine protestors were reportedly arrested just at the Armistice Day protest in London, with some launching fireworks and wearing face coverings.
Last week, Suella Braverman, the former home secretary, clashed with Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, after accusing the Met of bias in its handling of protests.
