Twenty people have been arrested after thousands gathered in central London to express their support for Palestinians after three years of “genocide” carried out against them by Israel. The demonstrators, many wearing keffiyehs and holding Palestine flags, gathered on the Embankment at midday on Saturday. Some carried placards reading “End the genocide” and “Free Palestine” as they marched towards parliament.
A bride and groom appeared to be among those in attendance and a two-minute silence was held to reflect on the lives lost in Gaza. The Metropolitan police said 20 arrests had been made, including for criminal damage after climbing on to the Battle of Britain memorial, having Palestine Action placards, making a Nazi salute and assaulting police as officers made arrests. Protesters were calling for the UK government to stop supplying arms to Israel, which various bodies – including the UN, Amnesty International, B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights, the latter two of which are Israeli-based – have said is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
A ceasefire was declared a year ago but Israeli airstrikes have continued in Gaza. In the last year, the overall death toll has risen by a further 1,400 people. Settlers have also ramped up their attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank.
According to UN figures, 230 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces and settlers in 2025. Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, shared a video from the march on social media. Louder, bigger and not going anywhere.
By Saturday afternoon, organisers said 250,000 people were at the march. The Met have imposed conditions on the event – which is organised by the Palestine Coalition, which has organised more than 30 mass demonstrations since October 2023, with a counter-protest by Stop The Hate – to “minimise the risk of serious disruption to communities”. The Met posted on X saying: “The front of the procession has now entered Whitehall where a rally will take place.
He also told the Commons that settler terrorists supported by Benjamin Netanyahu’s government are committing ethnic cleansing in the West Bank. At Labour party conference last month, Miliband appeared to reference the marches, which at their peak regularly numbered hundreds and thousands of people, telling the audience in Liverpool: “I want to say to the millions of people in this country and indeed elsewhere who have been moved and outraged by the plight of the Palestinian people: we hear you, you were right.” Deputy assistant commissioner Carl Galvin said: “We know Saturday’s event, so close to the third anniversary of the terror attack on Israel, has the potential to have a greater impact on communities than the previous national marches.” Galvin, who is leading the policing operation this weekend, said the force’s presence on Saturday will be “significant”. The Met have imposed conditions on the march and require the group to travel via Westminster Bridge, York Road, Waterloo Bridge and The Strand on to Whitehall, with a rally concluding by 6.30pm.
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