Pro-Iran Rally Organiser Previously Met Ayatollah Khamenei to Discuss Islamophobia
The organiser behind a controversial pro-Iran demonstration scheduled for London previously met with the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to present a dossier on Islamophobia in Britain. Massoud Shadjareh, co-founder and chair of the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), has been actively promoting a static demonstration in Westminster to mark Al Quds Day this Sunday.
Home Secretary Bans March Over Public Disorder Concerns
On Tuesday, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood prohibited the planned march, citing the need to prevent serious public disorder due to the protest's scale and multiple counter-protests amidst the ongoing Middle East conflict. However, a stationary demonstration is still set to proceed, as the Public Order Act does not grant authorities the power to ban static assemblies.
Police are preparing for significant crowds, with estimates suggesting up to 12,000 participants or more. The Metropolitan Police plans to use the River Thames as a physical barrier to separate rival groups, deploying at least a thousand officers from various forces across the country.
IHRC's Extremist Links and Leadership Sympathies
While the IHRC asserts its mission is to protect human rights, a government-ordered review described the organisation as having extremist links and terrorist sympathies, with its leaders openly expressing support for Tehran. A video from the IHRC's social media channels shows Mr Shadjareh recalling his meeting with Khamenei, who was killed earlier this month in an Israeli airstrike.
In the footage, Mr Shadjareh, born in Iran in the 1970s, explains that he was summoned to present the findings of an IHRC report titled Environment of Hate: The New Normal for British Muslims in the UK. He told an audience, I was asked to explain this research, this book, to Ayatollah Khamenei and in the small gathering I explained the whole findings of this.
Khamenei's Response and IHRC's Admiration
Mr Shadjareh recounted that Khamenei listened very attentively before responding, This is because they want to destroy your confidence in yourselves as Muslims and in your deen [all-encompassing faith]. Don't let it happen. Inspired by these words, Mr Shadjareh added, Our confidence comes in the fact that we have got the most powerful entity backing us and guiding us and this is why we are here and this is why we will be victorious if we unite.
Other senior IHRC figures have also praised Khamenei. Spokesman Faisal Bodi described the late leader as a man of principle and integrity, stating he would happily hold a picture of Khamenei over figures like Keir Starmer or Donald Trump. Mr Bodi emphasised Khamenei's stance on Palestine and cited Tehran's figures for protester deaths, which contrast with independently verified estimates in the tens of thousands.
Police Strategy and Public Safety Measures
Met Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan outlined the policing approach, noting that while measures cannot guarantee disorder will not occur, they aim to mitigate disruption. He stated, While we will protect the right to freedom of speech, there is a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime and anyone who crosses the line can expect to face arrest.
The static demonstration is considered immeasurably easier to police compared to a march. All protests and counter-protests will be confined between Vauxhall and Lambeth bridges from 1pm to 3pm, with Lambeth Bridge closed except for emergency vehicles. Counter-protesters will assemble on the Millbank side of the Thames.
Criticism and Legal Loopholes
The protest has faced criticism for its apparent backing of the Iranian regime, particularly after organisers expressed support for Khamenei. Political violence tsar Lord Walney warned that the static demonstration could still cause serious disorder, blaming a loophole in public order laws that prevents ministers from banning rallies that remain in one location.
Mr Adelekan acknowledged that anticipating turnout is not an exact science, but he expects up to 6,000 counter-protesters, with potentially similar number or more supporting the protest. Officers are being redeployed from neighbourhood policing to cover the event and patrol Jewish neighbourhoods in London, highlighting the extensive resources required to manage the situation.
The IHRC has strongly condemned the decision to ban the march but confirmed it will proceed with the static protest. The Home Secretary emphasised that police will apply strict conditions and enforce the law against anyone spreading hatred, underscoring the delicate balance between peaceful protest and public safety in a highly charged political climate.
