Police are investigating an unnotified Palestine parade in Londonderry - but have not confirmed they are looking into 'smash the Zionists!' written on Belfast City Hall

The parade was staged through the Bogside neighbourhood and saw at least a couple of hundred people take part, led by a man with a foreign accent who shouted through a megaphone: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!”

The phrase is a contentious one, which some interpret as a call to drive out the Israeli population (which lies almost wholly between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea).

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The PSNI have now told the News Letter: “Police are aware of an un-notified parade in Derry / Londonderry on Tuesday, October 10.

"An investigation has now commenced to establish any offences that may have occurred and to identify those involved.”

However, when asked about two other incidents during the week, the PSNI did not confirm they are investigating.

Those incidents were:

1) Activists from the fringe republican group Lasair Dearg broadcasting projections onto City Hall in Belfast of “armed Palestinian resistance fighters" plus the words "smash the Zionists!"

This happened overnight from Monday into Tuesday.

2) A protest by the IRSP (the INLA’s political wing) on the Falls Road last night calling on people to "support the Palestinian resistance!".

This was on Tuesday night.

As regards these two events, the PSNI told the News Letter: “Police are aware of these but have not received any complaints.”

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There are three upcoming pro-Palestinian events this weekend in Belfast:

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Forces across the UK have been urged by Tory Home Secretary Suella Braverman to be vigilant towards pro-Palestine protrsts, saying: “I would encourage police to consider whether chants such as ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ should be understood as an expression of a violent desire to see Israel erased from the world, and whether its use in certain contexts may amount to a racially aggravated Section 5 public order offence.

“Context is crucial. Behaviours that are legitimate in some circumstances, for example the waving of a Palestinian flag, may not be legitimate such as when intended to glorify acts of terrorism.”

Asked about the upcoming events, the PSNI issued a statement from Chief Superintendent Davy Beck saying: “The right to preach or protest in public is a human right enshrined in law.

"The police service will continue to facilitate such lawful freedom of expression.

"However it must be stressed that this freedom does not nor should it protect statements, actions or written material that discriminate against, harass or incite hatred or violence against anyone, particularly on the basis of their race, religious belief, gender identity or sexual orientation.

"This is a complex issue for policing that requires a careful balancing of the human rights of everyone involved.

“In line with our police oath and Code of Ethics, police officers are expected to discharge their duties with fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality, upholding fundamental human rights and according equal respect to all individuals and their traditions and beliefs."

The Home Secretary had also warned police forces of their obligations under anti-terror law, saying: “As you know, Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organisation in the UK in its entirety.

"It is therefore a criminal offence for a person in the UK to:

“Belong to Hamas; invite support for Hamas; express support for Hamas whilst being reckless as to whether the expression will encourage support of it; arrange a meeting in support of Hamas; wear clothing or carry articles in public which arouse reasonable suspicion that an individual is a member or supporter of Hamas; or publish an image of an article such as a flag or logo in the same circumstances.”

But the UVF, IRA, INLA, UDA and other groups are also proscribed, and the News Letter asked why the PSNI does not enforce the law when it comes to displays of support for these groups.

Davy Beck responded: “We are aware that murals and flags of this nature are a sensitive issue for the whole community and there is no easy solution.

"There is no community or political consensus on the mural and flags issue and ultimately this requires a political, not a policing resolution.

“Our experience shows the most effective solution to this issue is negotiation, mediation, and engagement between local communities working with agencies including local police.

“Many existing murals do not constitute the offence of Encouragement of Terrorism under the Terrorism Act 2006, or other offences.

“We will continue to work with local communities and partners to find long-term solutions to the issues surrounding murals.”