One person was arrested during a London protest at an Israeli restaurant chain on Friday, according to the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network UK (IJAN UK) and London Metropolitan Police, with rally organizers charging that the owners were complicit in a supposed genocide against Palestinians.
During a picketing of the Miznon Notting Hill restaurant, a 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of chants that were intended to stir up religious hatred, according to the Met. IJAN UK said on social media that its activist was arrested for allegedly chanting “Intifada.” The arrested individual was bailed on Saturday.
The Friday protest was a continuation of near-weekly protests of the Miznon branch, launched in protest of co-owner Eyal Shani’s project providing meals to IDF troops and October 7 massacre survivors, and co-owner Shahar Segal’s media liaison work with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
Ahead of the Friday protest for “Zionist institutions and companies be kicked out of our neighborhoods,” IJAN UK slammed Shani for “fueling” IDF soldiers’ “killing spree while offering no sustenance to the victims” and posting “extremist Zionist propaganda” when he called for the annihilation of Hamas terrorists.
The group also attacked Segal for working with “a mercenary company created by Israel and the US that shot and killed Palestinians queuing up for food.”
GHF closed its operations in November after providing 187 million meals and humanitarian aid to Gazans over the course of its mission.
IJAN calls Metropolitan police 'institutionally racist'
IJAN UK on Saturday complained about the arrest of an activist for allegedly chanting for Intifada, calling the Met police “institutionally racist” for implementing a “racist ban” on an Arabic term.
“Authoritarian tactics and rampant state violence in Britain continue to escalate, particularly through the criminalization of support for resistance to genocide and occupation,” said IJAN UK.
The Met said Sunday that “Officers were present as part of a policing plan to ensure people can exercise their right to protest peacefully, while ensuring that those in the wider community can go about their lives without serious disruption.”
Following the arrest, the protest disbanded, said the police. However, according to IJAN UK, the demonstrations reconstituted on Friday night to protest the arrest of the activist at a local police station, and the protester was released on Saturday.
Our Fight UK decried the protest on X/Twitter, comparing the protesters to Nazi Storm Troopers.
“They are shrieking their bigotry in front of the Miznon restaurant in Notting Hill, intimidating customers and staff,” said the group.
Miznon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.