London’s streets fill with calls for Justice for Palestine

The demonstration coincided with the second anniversary of the Gaza war and the first day of the ceasefire. It began around noon on Embankment Street, passing over Waterloo and Westminster bridges, and concluded in front of the British Prime Minister’s office.

Protesters voiced slogans such as “End Occupation, End Apartheid” and “Ceasefire Is Not Enough, We Demand Justice”, expressing solidarity with Palestinians and opposition to Israeli policies and their Western supporters.

In the days leading up to the march, some pro-Israel lobby groups and supportive MPs in the UK Parliament called for the demonstration to be canceled. The police, citing public order laws and under government pressure, imposed restrictions on the protest. Nevertheless, organizers, including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and the UK Stop the War Coalition, emphasized that the rally would remain peaceful, aimed at defending justice and freedom for the Palestinian people.

In a statement, PSC said: “We will continue our campaign until Israel’s occupation and apartheid end and Palestine is free from river to sea.”

Protesters expressed skepticism over the fragility of the ceasefire and criticized figures such as former Prime Minister Tony Blair for supporting the U.S. proposed plan. Lindsey German, senior director of the UK Stop the War Coalition, stated:

“We welcome the ceasefire, but it is not enough. Apartheid continues, the blockade remains, and those responsible for genocide have not been held accountable. We call on the UK government and Keir Starmer to immediately halt arms exports to Israel. This protest will continue until occupation and oppression end.”

The demonstration comes after last week, when about 500 pro-Palestine activists were detained in a similar protest in London under anti-terrorism laws. The UK Home Office justified increased monitoring of such events as necessary for “public order,” but human rights activists described these measures as a political attempt to silence critics of the Israeli regime.