Tens of thousands of demonstrators participated in an anti-Israel march in central London on March 15, 2024, despite a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that took effect just a day earlier. The Metropolitan Police reported making 14 arrests during the event, which was organized by the Palestine Coalition to advocate for the end of military support to Israel and the liberation of Palestine.
As the fragile peace deal allowed for a partial withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, protesters gathered waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans such as “stop arming Israel” and “free Palestine.” The march commenced at Victoria Embankment and proceeded to Whitehall, culminating in a rally where speakers addressed the crowd.
The police stated that seven of the arrests were made for breaching conditions under the Public Order Act, while others involved support for a proscribed group and affray. Some arrests included pro-Israel counter-protesters, although the exact number was not disclosed. Tensions escalated when a group of masked men unfurled a banner on Hungerford Bridge that read, “Globalise the intifada is a call to murder Jews.” This prompted riot police to intervene.
According to the Times, the masked individuals were not affiliated with the official pro-Israel counter-protest, which had been approved by the Metropolitan Police. The police noted on social media platform X that a small group of counter-protesters had breached their conditions, leading to a scuffle that required police intervention.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) expressed concern over the nature of the demonstration, stating that many participants appeared to advocate for the destruction of Israel rather than a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The organization emphasized that while the marchers claimed to be “anti-Zionist,” their actions suggested a more profound animosity.
“This was never really about ‘Zionists’,” the CAA stated. “A week after Jews were murdered at a synagogue in Manchester on Yom Kippur, those brave and decent people daring to stand with us face abuse and arrest on the streets of London.”
The march marked the 32nd national demonstration in support of Palestine since Hamas launched its assault on Israel on October 7, 2023. At the rally, Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), declared that the group would “never stop” advocating for Palestinians, asserting that Israel could “break the ceasefire at any time.” He criticized the recent peace agreement, claiming it failed to address the underlying issues of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
This demonstration occurred shortly after the Israeli government approved the first phase of the peace deal, and it followed comments from Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Labour Party, indicating that his government would take a firmer stance against pro-Palestinian protest rhetoric.
As global attention remains focused on the Middle East, the contrasting narratives of peace and resistance continue to shape the public discourse surrounding the ongoing conflict.