Met police: GB news presenter verbally assaulted at protest launching investigation

An investigation by the Met police has been launched after a GB News journalist alleged she was verbally abused in an “intimidating” encounter while reporting at the pro-Palestinian march on Saturday (25 November).

Political correspondent Katherine Forster described being surrounded by people “all shouting” at her and her crew, saying they had experienced a guy on a tannoy shouting at them, wanting to know what they were broadcasting from, and when revealing it was GB news, they were subjected to verbal abuse, where a group of people began joining in.

Forster said the incident was "really intimidating, I'm pretty shaken up by it" and after moving, the same man appeared where he was moved along by police.

The Met Police posted on X, formerly Twitter: “The right of the press to freely report on protests is no less important than the right to protest itself. They should be able to do so without facing intimidation or aggression. Officers spoke with the journalist and her team following this incident. An investigation is underway.”

This is the seventh consecutive Saturday that has seen Palestine marches with around 1,500 police deployed and handing out leaflets telling people what will land them in a cell, after more than 300,000 people were estimated to march in London on Saturday.

The leaflets were handed out along the route of the march organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign from Park Lane to Whitehall to provide "absolute clarity" on what will be deemed a criminal offence. These include "words or images that are racist or incite hatred against any faith", that "support Hamas or any other banned organisation" or "that celebrate or promote acts of terrorism - such as the killing or kidnap of innocent people.

It adds: "If in any doubt bin any placard or sign that might break these rules" and tells those attending to check if any restrictions are in place and warns: "Don't cause fear or be violent, including using flares or fireworks, or using threatening words or aggressive behaviours that could be considered intimidating. Don't deface or damage statues, monuments or other property."

The Hamas-run health ministry says more than 14,500 people have been killed in Gaza since Hamas's 7 October revolt. Hamas killed 1,200 people and took more than 240 hostages during its unprecedented cross-border attack.