Climbing a war memorial is 'unfortunate' but not a crime, according to the Met chief, after pro-Palestinian protestors were not detained

The Metropolitan Police, under fire for failing to apprehend pro-Palestinian demonstrators who scaled a monument at Hyde Park Corner, has said that climbing on a memorial is "unfortunate" but not unlawful.

Video clip from the Royal Artillery Memorial in which one protester wrapped around a Palestinian flag talking to an officer.

Part of the top of the monument, which is almost 30 feet, another protester can be seen running holding a Palestinian flag. The police faced backlash for not detailing the protestors.


Sir Mark Rowley, the commissioner of the Metropolitan authorities, stated today that although it was "unfortunate" and "inflammatory in certain ways" to climb on a war memorial, authorities acknowledged this fact. He stated that the administration should decide whether to grant officers more authority to deal with protesters.

The majority of people concur that it is improper to climb on or otherwise show contempt for a war memorial, according to a statement released by the Metropolitan Police. Although the officers arrived on the scene promptly, we regret that their arrival was insufficient to stop the demonstrators from entering the memorial.

The statement continued, saying that although authorities cannot immediately make an arrest because there is no statute that specifically forbids climbing on memorials, they can step in and make it plain that the behavior is unacceptable.