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Senior police officers believe Iranian agents are creating unrest in Britain by stoking Gaza protests.<\/p>\n
It comes as officers prepare for a fresh round of demonstrations over the weekend. According to The Times, counterterrorism officers have said that Tehran is attempting to heighten tensions at rallies over Israel’s bombing of Gaza.<\/p>\n
They believe it will increase hostile-state activity in the UK. It is thought to be directly linked to the Iranian regime, with campaigns including online disinformation and Iranian operatives physically attending protests.<\/p>\n
It comes as the Israeli military said ground forces will be “expanding operations” in the Gaza Strip ahead of an expected full-scale ground invasion. Mobile an internet services have reportedly been cut off in Gaza.<\/p>\n
Don’t miss… <\/strong> Outrage after police won’t jail pro-Palestinian protesters shouting ‘jihad’<\/strong><\/p>\n Over 1,000 police officers will be on duty in London on Saturday as a third consecutive weekend of pro-Palestinian protests are expected in the capital. A rally calling for an immediate ceasefire is expected to attract a record crown of 100,000 people on Saturday.<\/p>\n The Metropolitan Police has said officers will step in if there is a repeat of the “jihad” chants that were heard last week. There was a subsequent backlash against the force after it decided not to arrest protesters who called for a war against Israel.<\/p>\n The Met is also looking to speak to three women who wore pictures of Hamas paragliders and a man who held a poster supporting the terrorist group in London.<\/p>\n The revelations about Iranian inveolvement followed repeated warnings about Tehran operating in the UK. In a speech last week Robin Simcox, the counterextremism commissioner, warned that the \u201cscale of Iranian-backed activity in this country; and the extent to which Iran attempts to stoke extremism here\u201d was under-appreciated.<\/p>\n Don’t miss… <\/strong> The Times sources confirmed that senior police have been privately warning that Tehran operatives are linked to Gaza protests. They say it is complicating police involvement in protests.<\/p>\n The source however emphasised that the groups organising the protests are not linked to Tehran. Instead its operatives work on the fringes of protests.<\/p>\n The source said: \u201cSenior police have said that the policing of protest, disinformation and other linked issues are the most challenging they\u2019ve faced. The Iranian links are a major part of that. Look at the past year where Iran has stepped up its activities in the UK.\u201d<\/p>\n While a Home Office source said: “We are very worried about foreign hostile governments spreading disinformation to try and stoke anti-Israel feelings in the domestic Muslim population for their own purposes.\u201d<\/p>\n
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