Delhi High Court permits restricted Cockroach Janta Party protest

AAP joins CJP protest amid electoral fraud claims

The Aam Aadmi Party announced it will participate in the Cockroach Janta Party protest. Founder Abhijeet Dipke asked participants to carry the national flag.

At a press conference in Delhi, Dipke linked the crackdown to Prime Minister Narendra Modi protecting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Dipke claimed that detained opposition leaders include Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, and Pinarayi Vijayan.

High Court hears trader concerns over central Delhi closures

The High Court bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma heard a plea by a licensed street vendor. The vendor sought a direction to the police to regulate the protest in line with Supreme Court law.

The vendor's lawyer argued that traders and vendors would lose another weekend to closures in central Delhi during the festive season. Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma told the court that authorities had already taken steps to regulate the protests.

Police detain hundreds following Jantar Mantar protest call

Police had detained hundreds of people who intended to go to Jantar Mantar road on 10 October over alleged electoral fraud. CJP members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka are in jail for having raised the flag at Jantar Mantar earlier that week.

AISA activist Neha Bora alleged that journalists covering the protests had been beaten, dragged, and detained for hours despite carrying press cards. She further alleged that cameras had been snatched from the journalists.

Supreme Court issues notice to Election Commission over electoral rolls

The Supreme Court issued notice to the Election Commission, the Chief Election Commissioner, and the two Election Commissioners regarding petitions filed by Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders. The petitions concern decisions related to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said, "Nobody can browbeat the judiciary," referring to the INDIA bloc's 12 October march from Barakhamba Road to the court premises.

Mumbai grants permission for parallel Azad Maidan protest

Authorities in Mumbai granted permission for a parallel protest to be held at Azad Maidan.

UK publisher Faber withdraws Sally Rooney books over terror ban

Irish novelist Sally Rooney's books are being withdrawn from sale in the U.K. because she financially supports the group Palestine Action. The U.K. government outlawed the group as a terrorist organization last year.

Membership or support for the group is a crime punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Rooney, 35, is the author of four novels: Conversations with Friends, Normal People, Beautiful World, Where are You, and Intermezzo.

Following the ban in July 2025, Rooney announced she would use proceeds from her books and TV adaptations to support the group. Faber, her U.K. publisher, announced on Wednesday that it would no longer supply her works in any format, stating that paying royalties could violate the terror ban.

The decision was made with the author's agreement. Rooney stated, "I have made every effort to be honest with the public about my beliefs and intentions, and I am wholly prepared to accept the consequences".

The Booksellers Association confirmed that while new orders are unavailable, bookshops can continue to sell existing stock. Lucy Burke, a bookseller at London’s Camden Town Bookshop, described the situation as "absolutely ridiculous" and a form of censorship.

Palestine Action was founded in 2020 to stop U.K. military support for Israel. In 2024, activists broke into an Elbit Systems UK factory and smashed equipment, and in June 2025, activists damaged two tanker planes at a Royal Air Force base.

During the 2024 factory break-in, a police officer suffered a fractured spine after being hit with a sledgehammer. The British government stated that Palestine Action has "carried out acts of terrorism, celebrated those who took part in them and promoted the use of violence".

The Home Office stated that the proscription does not affect lawful protest in support of the Palestinian cause. More than 3,000 people have been arrested and more than 1,200 have been charged under the Terrorism Act in relation to the group, though no one has yet been convicted.

Metropolitan Police face scrutiny over handling of London protests

On 9 January 2026, a fifty-person demonstration outside the restaurant Miznon in Notting Hill received significant attention in the press and Parliament. 89 MPs wrote to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley regarding the event.

Kemi Badenoch described the demonstration as "yet another example of harassment and incitement to violence against Jews and law-abiding people on our streets". The Metropolitan Police later admitted its response "wasn’t good enough".

The speaker was later arrested and charged with stirring up racial hatred under section 18 of the Public Order Act 1986.

Parliament requires the consent of the Attorney General for such prosecutions to proceed. The case was discontinued before the defendant was identified in court or required to give a defence statement.

On 17 December 2025, the Met Commissioner and the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police stated that anyone chanting for an intifada should expect arrest. The statement acknowledged that prosecutors had previously judged such phrases did not meet the threshold for prosecution.

Police stated they would maintain order and collect evidence, but noted it is up to the Crown Prosecution Service to authorise charges. Miznon had been targeted multiple times by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

The International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network relocated a picket from the Israeli Embassy to the business, increasing the demonstration's size. The demonstration in Kensington High Street is not opposed on the grounds of its location outside the building housing Israel’s diplomatic functions.

At the time, the group Our Fight UK released the statement "1930s Germany has arrived on the streets of London". A comparable prosecution of three defendants is ongoing and proceeding to trial in 2028.

The CPS press office explained that "this case was incorrectly charged by police without CPS involvement". Statutory guidance for police decision-makers appears to have been ignored.

Human rights lawyer Adam Wagner KC stated he will not be intimidated after a mob burst into his lecture at City, St George’s. Activists chanted "settlers go home" and "war criminal".

The Association of Student Activism for Palestine took responsibility for the disruption. The protest interrupted the talk for 10 minutes before the protesters left.

Wagner was escorted out by security but finished his lecture. Wagner stated the purpose of the protest was to intimidate him and stop his legal work.

In October 2025, Professor Michael Ben-Gad’s lecture was stormed by individuals who called him a "terrorist" and allegedly threatened to behead him. City, St George’s was approached for comment regarding the disruption.