Pro-Palestinian protest in London, Feb. 15, 2025. (Photo: Lab Ky Mo/SOPA Images via Reuters)
Following U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal of taking control of Gaza, London on Saturday witnessed one of its largest pro-Palestinian rallies since Oct. 7, 2023.
“Zionist pig” was one of the slurs directed at Israel and the Jewish community, the Daily Telegraph reported, as demonstrators marched towards the US Embassy, just hours after three more innocent Israeli hostages were released by Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) posted on 𝕏 a video of another chant heard on the day: “Judaism yes, Zionism no. The State of Israel has to go,” in addition to the oft-repeated cry, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
“So, just to be clear,” wrote the CAA. “It’s a yes to Jews, but also, the world’s only Jewish state has to be eradicated?”
“Zionism is the belief that Jews have the right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland. Eight in ten British Jews consider themselves to be a Zionist. Only six percent do not,” CAA continued.
“Imagine being Jewish in London and seeing a mob chant this. How would you feel?”
Marchers reportedly also began hurling insults at a small, counter demonstration, chanting: “Khaybar, Khaybar, oh Jews, the army of Muhammed will return.”
The Stop The Hate UK (STH) campaign group has been formed since the brutal Hamas massacre in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, as a result of the monthly pro-Palestinian marches.
“We stand in opposition to the hate marches that have swamped our country since the 7.10 massacre. We shall not be cowed. Terrorist supporters off our streets!” reads their bio on 𝕏.
It was recently exposed that permissions for the first march, on Oct. 14, 2023, were sought by the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, even as the atrocities were taking place.
“Our love is stronger than their hate,” is the group’s slogan, with their counter protests usually marked by singing and dancing to Israeli songs.
London’s Metropolitan Police said that eight people were arrested on Saturday, for public order offenses, breaching conditions, criminal damage, and support for a proscribed terrorist organization.
One of those arrested, a 79-year-old man, made a Nazi salute towards the counter protest, a relatively small group holding Israeli and UK flags.
Both STH and another reporter clarified that the arrested man was a repeat offender, and that there were multiple Nazi slurs and antisemitic tropes recorded on the day.
Yellow ribbon art formation (Photo: Amanda Rose)
The Stop The Hate group later made their way to the Tate Modern art gallery and, wearing yellow for the hostages taken by Hamas, formed themselves into the shape of a ribbon.
Around 6,000 Hamas terrorists and supporters invaded Israel on that tragic October day nearly a year and a half ago, taking 251 Israelis and internationals hostage to Gaza, including a baby and very young children.
Kfir Bibas, who reached his first and second birthdays in captivity, and his brother Ariel, now five, are slated to be released as part of the first phase of the current ceasefire, but it is unclear whether they or their mother, Shiri, are still alive.
On Feb. 1, Yarden Bibas was released without his wife and children. Five hundred days after the massacre, Hamas and affiliated terror groups are still holding 72 hostages, although only around 30 are believed to be alive.
