The home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, added her voice on Friday to calls to postpone the event, after police said they wanted to be able to focus their resources on protecting Jewish and Muslim communities. The Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, said that continuing protests after the attack “will likely create further tensions and some might say lacks sensitivity”. The organisers, Defend Our Juries, said in a statement on Friday that supporters, including many Jewish people, wanted the protest to go ahead. It expected 1,500 people, including priests, vicars, pensioners and others, to take part in the event, which would involve them peacefully sitting holding cardboard signs saying “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action”.

"They could have stepped back and just given a community that has suffered deep loss just a day or two to process what has happened and to carry on with the grieving process," she said. "I think some humanity could have been shown." In response, Mr Polanski branded the home secretary's comments "deeply irresponsible". "I think ultimately conflating protests against the genocide in Gaza and ultimately weaponising that against an anti-Semitic attack on our streets, a terrorist attack, is deeply irresponsible," he told Sky News Breakfast. The Green Party leader said it was "worrying when governments are increasingly trying to crush down dissent" and using "what is a brutal attack... to try and make a point about protest". "We need statesmanship at this moment. We need responsibility," he added.