Hundreds of people including family members of Israeli hostages taken on October 7 have marched to Downing Street urging the release of those being held by Hamas.
There were several flare-ups from counter-protesters and three arrests as the National March for the Hostages, organised by Stop the Hate UK and a number of Jewish organisations, made its way through central London on Sunday.
It comes after Sir Keir Starmer pledged to recognise a Palestinian state in September unless the Israeli government meets a series of conditions towards ending the conflict in Gaza.
Stop the Hate said that protesters will urge the Prime Minister to prioritise the release of the 50 remaining Israeli hostages, with 20 of them thought to be alive, before any recognition of a Palestinian state.
Among those due to attend and give a speech is Noga Guttman, the cousin of 24-year-old Evyatar David, who was kidnapped.
Hamas released a video last weekend which showed Mr David looking skeletal and hollow-eyed in a dimly lit Gaza tunnel.
Some protesters held Israeli flags and wore yellow ribbons as they congregated in Lincoln’s Inn Fields in Holborn from 1.30pm.
A scuffle broke out after at least two men shouted “Free Palestine” in front of the march close to Trafalgar Square.
One man was seen being bundled to the ground after being surrounded by about a dozen people, while another man was seen being moved away by police officers after he began shouting.
Earlier, on The Strand, a young man was kept away from the protesters after shouting “Free Palestine”.
Another man was carried away by officers after a scuffle broke out close to the gates of Downing Street.
He was seen throwing water over a pro-Israel demonstrator before charging at him and putting his hand around the demonstrator’s neck, before officers intervened.
The Metropolitan Police said officers were deployed along the route “to ensure the safety of those attending and to deal with any offences.”
A man, who was not part of the march, was arrested for common assault and a racially aggravated public order offence after the march briefly paused just past Charing Cross, the force said.
There were two further arrests for assault during the assembly following a disagreement between attendees in the crowd.
Addressing the crowd in Whitehall, the UK’s Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis said: “To our Government we turn and we say ‘how would you ever be able to live with the fact that you would have recognised a Palestinian state, at the head of which is a terrorist organisation, with a stated intention of destroying the state of Israel and harming Jews right around the world and all this at a time when the hostages are still languishing in the tunnels of Gaza?’
“The Labour Party, both in opposition and now in Government, has had a mantra, they have continuously been saying ‘don’t judge us by our words, judge us by our deeds’.
“And to our Government we say right now this is the time for responsible action, it is not too late.”
Ayelet Svatitzky, whose brothers Roi and Nadav Popplewell were murdered, said in her own speech: “This week I joined a meeting with the UK Government to continue to press our case that the hostages must be freed before the UK Government can recognise the state of Palestine.
“As I said to the Government, to recognise the state without the return of all of the hostages is a prize to Hamas for the murder of my two brothers.”
Two speakers from a progressive Judaism movement were booed at the assembly after saying that Palestinians have the “right to self-determination”.
Rabbi Charley Baginsky said: “We call for an end to this war through a deal that brings the hostages home and the permanent restoration of humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
Some in the crowd began booing and shouting “no deal”, while one man shouted “smash Hamas”.
Rabbi Josh Levy then said: “The Palestinian people like us have the right to self-determination.
“But how it is done matters too, we reject a methodology that tries to force this future through violence, terror and the suffering of civilians.”
More in the crowd joined in the booing, while some shouted “shame on you” and demanded that the pair be removed.
It comes after Foreign Secretary David Lammy joined his counterparts from Australia, Italy, Germany and New Zealand to condemn Israeli plans to take over Gaza City.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said, on Friday, that Israel would seek “the demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip”, as well as “Israeli security control in the Gaza Strip” and “the establishment of an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority”.
In their joint statement, the foreign ministers said the plans “risk violating international law” and “any attempts at annexation or of settlement extension violate international law”.
Sir Keir described Israel’s plans as “wrong” and called for “a ceasefire, a surge in humanitarian aid, the release of all hostages by Hamas and a negotiated solution”.
He said the UK will recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to meet certain conditions, including addressing the humanitarian crisis, implementing a ceasefire and reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.
But he insisted the move was not a propaganda boost to Hamas, saying the “terrorist organisation” could play “no part in any future government”.
