Riot police march through Regent's Park and put millionaire's row of flats in lockdown after stand-off with squatters over anti-Semitic 'globalise the intifada' banner

Riot police have been marching through London's Regent's Park this afternoon and have placed a millionaire's row of flats in lockdown after an anti-Semitic banner calling to 'globalise the intifada' was hung up by squatters.

Police engaged in a stand-off with the squatters occupying the building, while residents in the city's affluent area, where properties can fetch up to £20 million, have been blocked off from entering their homes.

After cordoning off the scene, officers were able to remove the banner from the building in Park Square near Regent’s Park. 

'A number of people have been arrested', The Met Police said, as they currently remain at the scene. 

According to one local, it is squatters who put the anti-Semitic sign up.  

Two women, who wished to remain anonymous, said: 'We've been out this morning and we came back to all the police officers.

'No one is telling us anything, except that we're not allowed back inside.'

A Met Police officer at the scene said: 'People inside the building are being kept inside, while people outside are being kept outside for the time being.'

Earlier this morning, Campaign Against Antisemitism posted a photo of the banner on Twitter, accompanied by the caption: 'We have been contacted by distressed members of the public regarding a banner calling to 'globalise the intifada.

'This was seen this morning on a home in Regent's Park. Past intifadas were campaigns of violence that included suicide bombings.'

The slogans and related chants have been a subject of controversy of late; particularly since protestors took to the streets following the October 7 attacks in Israel.

It has been criticized by Jewish groups as inciting widespread violence or terrorism, with some interpreting it as a rallying cry for harming Jews. 

The Met Police's official Twitter account commented on the post: 'Our officers are on scene responding to this incident, investigating, and providing reassurance.'

A Met Police at the scene added: 'I've been told that the premises we are interested in is an old theatre or old cinema, but people do live on the street too.' 

One person, who works in a building on the street, claimed: 'They're trying to remove squatters inside.

'Someone said it's some kind of standoff.'

According to photos from the scene, the building appears to be The Diorama Offices in Park Street East, where properties can fetch up to £20 million.

The Diorama was a specialised theatre built in 1823, but in the years since it has had various uses and occupants. In 1994, the building was turned into offices by The Prince’s Trust, and in recent years, it has been vacant.

In 2020, planning consent was granted to return the two flanking town houses, 17 and 19 Park Square East, to separate residential use – while The Diorama was retained as offices.

One person, who lives nearby, said: 'There has been an issue with squatters in the building, in the Diorama.

'There have been raves and parties attended by hundreds of people, often with ‘Free Palestine’ posters.

'I know that the issue is in the courts at the moment, but I’m not sure whether there has been an outcome.'

The ‘globalise the intifada’ banner remained suspended while the police cordon was in place, but was eventually removed at around 4:30pm.

It comes after the Metropolitan Police said antisemitic attacks in London increased by 1,353 per cent following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict on 7 October.

Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis has previously said about the use of 'intifada': 'The world feels different because at the very moment when it should be clearer than ever what is meant by Hamas’s "resistance", "jihad", "uprising", or "intifada", more and more people are now openly calling for these things in cities across Britain and the world.

'This is hateful extremism.'