Over 30,000 demonstrators took to the streets of London on Saturday, protesting against the ongoing genocide in Gaza and Lebanon. The protest, organised by the Palestine Coalition – which includes the Palestinian Forum in Britain, Friends of Al-Aqsa, the Muslim Association of Britain, Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), and Stop the War Coalition – called for an immediate end to Israel’s attacks on Gaza and the lifting of the brutal blockade that has trapped over 400,000 Palestinians in northern Gaza under relentless bombardment, reports Middle East Monitor.
Adnan Hmidan, Acting Chairman of the Palestinian Forum in Britain, said: “Today, we gather to demand the lifting of the siege on Jabalia Camp, now in its 14th day, and to remind the world of the continuous crimes of the occupation and the ongoing genocide. We also extend our thanks to members of the Labour Party who have called for a complete halt to arming Israel. We encourage the families of victims and martyrs in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon to submit their testimonies to relevant human rights bodies to hold the criminals accountable. We also reiterate the call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, and to prevent further aggression on Iran, and rein in the murderous and expansionist madness of Israel’s leadership.”
Protesters expressed their outrage at the British government’s continued political, logistical, and military support for Israel, despite Israel’s repeated violations of international law and rulings by the International Court of Justice. The demonstrators called for an end to British arms sales to Israel and urged the government to impose sanctions on the Israeli regime, which has killed over 42,000 civilians, most of whom are women and children, since the attacks began.
Several speakers addressed the crowd throughout the day. Fares Amer from the Palestinian Forum in Britain highlighted the importance of sustained public pressure to confront Israeli aggression. Ibrahim Khadra, speaking on behalf of families in Gaza, described the daily suffering of Palestinians under siege, urging international intervention to stop the ongoing massacre. Ben Jamal, from the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, called for the imposition of immediate sanctions on Israel and the end of all
military cooperation. Walaa Ramadan, representing the Muslim Association of Britain, emphasised the need for unity among pro-Palestinian movements to counter Israeli violence.
This demonstration comes as Israel’s genocide of Gaza continues and the siege on Northern Gaza gets more and more brutal, with non-stop bombing of residential areas causing widespread devastation and escalation of the humanitarian crisis. Protesters called for continued political and public pressure on the international community to act, ensuring accountability for the war crimes committed and an end to the violence against Palestinian civilians.
