Thousands of demonstrators gathered in central London on Saturday for the National March for Palestine, pressing the incoming Labour leader, Andy Burnham, to take a tougher stance on Israel. The Metropolitan Police operated a visible, uniformed presence and said it had imposed stringent conditions under the Public Order Act to limit disruption to residents and businesses.
Route, policing and arrests
The Palestine Coalition-organised march set off from Russell Square and proceeded towards Westminster, culminating in a rally in Whitehall close to Downing Street. Officers reported attending a "small counter demonstration" around The Strand and recorded eight arrests for a range of offences, including assault and racially aggravated public order offences, a force spokesman said.
- Start: Russell Square
- End: Rally in Whitehall, near Downing Street
- Organisers: Palestine Coalition
- Police action: strict conditions under the Public Order Act
- Arrests: eight, for various offences
Messages at the front of the march
At the head of the procession stood former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who addressed the crowd at Whitehall. He congratulated Mr Burnham on his new position but urged immediate action on Britain’s role in supplying arms to Israel. Corbyn called for decisive measures and reassured supporters of continued protest activity.
“Your country is involved in supporting the acts of genocide – stop it, change it and shut the arms supply to Israel.”
Corbyn later said Israel should face the “toughest sanctions” because of its actions. He told the assembled demonstrators that they would continue to march in support of the Palestinian people for as long as necessary.
Slogans, banners and atmosphere
Participants carried numerous Palestine flags and homemade banners with messages including variations of “Ceasefire now”, “Hands off Gaza” and calls to “Stop stealing Palestinian land”. Marchers used drums and chants to sustain the atmosphere, and some voiced slogans aimed at shoppers and tourists as the procession moved through entertainment districts.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organiser | Palestine Coalition |
| Start point | Russell Square |
| End point | Whitehall / Westminster |
| Arrests | 8 (range of offences) |
Police emphasised their aim to keep disruption to residents and local businesses to a minimum while balancing the right to protest. Saturday’s demonstration underlines how international events continue to drive significant public mobilisation in London, with implications for the incoming government and local policing plans in the capital.
