Thousands of pro-Palestine protesters marched through central London on Saturday, demanding that incoming Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer take a strong stance against Israel, including halting arms sales and imposing sanctions.
March Details and Police Presence
The National March for Palestine, organized by the Palestine Coalition, saw a strong police presence under strict conditions imposed by the Metropolitan Police under the Public Order Act to prevent serious disruption. The march proceeded from Russell Square to Westminster, with former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn at the front.
Jeremy Corbyn's Message to Starmer
Corbyn said his message to Starmer is: “Your country is involved in supporting the acts of genocide – stop it, change it and shut the arms supply to Israel.” He later told a rally in Whitehall that Israel “deserves the toughest sanctions against it because of what it is doing.”
Arrests and Counter-Demonstration
Police made eight arrests for offenses including assault and racially aggravated public order offenses near a small counter-demonstration on The Strand. Protesters chanted “while you are shopping – bombs are dropping” as they passed through the entertainment district.
Starmer's Stance on Israel
Starmer last week apologized for Labour's initial response to Israel's military action in Gaza, saying “my party didn't get it right and I am sorry about that.” He called for measures to ban trade with illegal settlements and criticized Hamas's October 7 attack, but stopped short of accusing Israel of genocide, stating it is a matter for international courts.
Green Party and Other Voices
Co-deputy leader of the Green Party, Mothin Ali, told the crowd that “mealy-mouthed words aren’t good enough” and called for Starmer to “end all armed sales to Israel, to end complicity in this genocide.” The march also featured a group of Holocaust survivor descendants against Gaza genocide, including Miranda Pinch, 75, who held a sign with her mother's photo, saying her mother died “ashamed of Israel’s actions in her name.”
