Thousands of pro-Palestine protesters have gathered in central London to mark two years since the start of the war in Gaza, a day after the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas came into effect.
As the demonstration began along Victoria Embankment on Saturday, stalls were selling keffiyehs while people handed out placards that read “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, “it’s not a crime to act against genocide” and “Starmer has blood on his hands, free Palestine”.
A counter-protest by Stop The Hate was expected to take place at the junction of Aldwych and the Strand, with police putting measures in place to try to prevent a clash between the two groups.
The demonstrations come as tens of thousands of Palestinians returned to their homes in Gaza following the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Scotland Yard said it has imposed conditions on both demonstrations under the Public Order Act to “prevent serious disruption” and has set out specific areas protesters can gather as well as a march route.
The pro-Palestinian protest is the 32nd national demonstration in support of Palestine since October 2023, according to organiser Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), and will see protesters march along Embankment before a rally in Whitehall.
Last weekend, the Government announced that police would be given greater powers to restrict protests by allowing them to consider the “cumulative impact” of repeated demonstrations.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said repeated large-scale protests had caused “considerable fear” for the Jewish community.
The Metropolitan Police said it was aware of the plans, but that “at this time, the law remains unchanged”.
Conditions have been put in place for tomorrow’s demonstration in Central London organised by the Palestine Coalition. You can read the full detail here 👇 https://t.co/w9AHDYk7e9
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) October 10, 2025
Any further updates on the protest will be posted on this thread.
Calls for restraint were made following the terror attack on a synagogue in Manchester on October 2 in which two people were killed, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urging protesters to “respect the grief of British Jews”.
Ben Jamal, PSC director, said the group will “never stop” supporting Palestinians to “achieve a free Palestine”.
Of the protest this weekend, he said: “For two years we’ve seen Israel commit a no holds barred genocide with the political and military support of successive UK governments.
“In response, a community of resistance in this country has responded with an historic show of solidarity – actively and intensively campaigning, day in day out, to demand politicians, public bodies and corporations end their complicity with Israel’s crimes.
“This is a movement supported by millions of people in this country and around the world who want freedom and justice for Palestine.
“That work will go on. Because we know Israel is capable of breaking the ceasefire at any time, as it has done on every previous occasion. And we know this ceasefire based on (US President Donald) Trump’s plan does nothing to address the root causes of Israeli occupation and colonisation of Palestine, and its system of apartheid against Palestinians. It also does nothing to hold those responsible for genocide to account.
“The rights of the Palestinian people are enshrined under international law – they are inviolable and non-negotiable. They will never give up those rights, and we will never stop supporting them to achieve a free Palestine.”
The Government has also said it could launch a crackdown on some of the chants used at pro-Palestine protests.
Some consider the slogan “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” to be antisemitic as they believe it calls for the eradication of Israel.
Proponents of the chant claim they are calling for an end to conflict in Gaza and the West Bank.
The Israeli military said on Friday that the ceasefire agreement came into effect at noon local time (10am BST).
The pause in the two-year war in the Middle East follows Hamas agreeing to release the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
News of the ceasefire agreement came just two days after the second anniversary of October 7, the attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel.
