Tensions flared in Brighton over the weekend as Sussex Friends of Israel (SFI) accused Sussex Police of unlawfully restricting their peaceful counter-demonstration during a pro-Palestinian march in the city centre.
According to a statement posted by SFI on social media, a small group of their members had gathered with Israeli flags and banners, positioning themselves more than 200 yards away from a large Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) march. The group claims it maintained a peaceful presence and complied with police instructions at all times.
However, when the PSC march diverted from its original route, SFI members say they attempted to reposition themselves along a different street to retain visibility — only to be physically blocked by police officers. Officers reportedly cited the risk of a “breach of the peace” as justification for halting the group’s movement.
“There was no breach of the peace. We were peaceful. There was distance. There was order. And yet — we were stopped,” the SFI statement read.
SFI further alleged that a senior officer refused to engage with their concerns and declined to provide identification details, including the name or warrant number of the inspector in charge.
Meanwhile, the pro-Palestinian protest, which reportedly drew a crowd of around 500 people, held a mass “die-in” demonstration across one of Brighton’s busiest roads. Photos and video footage posted by PSC on social media showed demonstrators lying across the road with small coffins to symbolise the loss of life in Gaza. The event proceeded without apparent police intervention.
“This was a clear violation of our rights under Articles 10 and 11 of the Human Rights Act — to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” SFI stated. “One side was empowered. The other was silenced.”
Sussex Police have yet to release an official response to the allegations.
The incident is likely to reignite debate around police neutrality and the management of protests in the UK, especially amid heightened tensions surrounding the Israel-Gaza conflict.
