LONDON — Police in London arrested two people who called for \u201cintifada\u201d during a pro-Palestinian protest, which followed a decision by authorities to toughen enforcement of hate speech laws after a deadly attack on a Hanukkah celebration in Australia.<\/p>\n
The arrests Wednesday came hours after police in London and Manchester, England, announced a crackdown on protesters using slogans such as \u201cglobalize the intifada.\u201d The Arabic word intifada is generally translated as \u201cuprising.\u201d<\/p>\n
While pro-Palestinian demonstrators say the slogan describes the worldwide protests against the war in Gaza<\/a>, Jewish leaders say it inflames tensions and encourages attacks on Jews, including the attack that killed 15 people<\/a> on Sunday at Bondi Beach in Sydney.<\/p>\n London Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley and Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Stephen Watson said they decided to take a tougher stance after Bondi Beach and an Oct. 2 attack on a Manchester synagogue<\/a> that left two people dead.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know communities are concerned about placards and chants such as `globalize the intifada,\u2019 and those using it at future protest or in a targeted way should expect the Met and GMP to take action,\u201d they said in a joint statement released Wednesday. \u201cViolent acts have taken place, the context has changed \u2014 words have meaning and consequence.\u201d<\/p>\n In the hours before Wednesday night\u2019s demonstration in support of Palestine Action, a pro-Palestinian group that was banned as a terrorist organization earlier this year, London police warned protesters to be aware of the earlier announcement.<\/p>\n Two protesters were arrested for \u201cracially aggravated public order offenses\u201d after they shouted slogans calling for intifada during the protest outside the Ministry of Justice on Wednesday night, the Metropolitan Police Service said on social media. A third person was arrested for trying to interfere with the initial arrests.<\/p>\n The term \u201cintifada\u201d is used to describe two major Palestinian uprisings against Israeli policy in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the first beginning in 1987 and the second beginning in 2000. During the recent conflict in Gaza, the slogan \u201cglobalize the intifada\u201d has been widely used by pro-Palestinian protesters around the world.<\/p>\n