LONDON – Thousands of demonstrators braved persistent rain on Saturday, November 29, 2025, to participate in a national march through central London, marking the United Nations' International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. The event, one of the largest pro-Palestine gatherings in the UK capital this year, called for an immediate end to Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, a halt to UK arms sales to Israel, and international pressure to address what organizers described as an ongoing genocide in Gaza.
The march, organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) in partnership with the Stop the War Coalition and several major trade unions including Unite and the National Education Union, underscored growing public frustration with the British government's continued support for Israel amid escalating violence in Gaza and the West Bank.
Participants gathered at midday at Park Lane near Hyde Park Corner, waving Palestinian flags and carrying banners emblazoned with slogans such as “End the Occupation – Stop Arming Israel – End Apartheid” and “Free Palestine: Justice for All.” The procession passed through Marble Arch and Trafalgar Square before culminating in a rally at Whitehall outside the gates of Downing Street around 4 p.m. Chants of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and “Israel is a terrorist state” echoed through the streets. The demonstration remained largely peaceful under heavy police presence.
London’s Metropolitan Police imposed conditions on the event, including designated assembly and dispersal areas, to balance the right to protest with minimizing disruption. Officers reported no major arrests during the march itself.
The PSC framed the demonstration as a response to the “complete failure of the international community” to enforce Palestinian rights. Director Ben Jamal, speaking at the assembly point, invoked the day’s historical significance: the UN established November 29 in 1977 through General Assembly Resolution 32/40 B to commemorate the 1947 partition plan and to affirm Palestinians’ inalienable rights to self-determination, national independence, sovereignty, and the return of refugees displaced during the 1948 Nakba.
“In 1977, there were just 12,000 illegal settlers in East Jerusalem and the West Bank,” Jamal said. “Today, that number exceeds 750,000, a stark testament to the impunity granted to Israel for its occupation and apartheid policies, which have inevitably led to the genocide we’re witnessing in Gaza.”
He criticized a recent UN Security Council resolution on Gaza’s governance for failing to uphold international law and accused the UK of complicity through diplomatic backing and continued arms exports, including components for F-35 jets and contracts with companies such as Elbit Systems.
Speakers at the Whitehall rally included trade union leaders, MPs, and Palestinian representatives. Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer pledged support for an immediate arms embargo and recognition of the state of Palestine. The Palestinian Mission to the UK thanked participants on social media, stating that “Palestine will be free with your unwavering support and dedication.”
The day’s events unfolded against a backdrop of extreme violence that began with the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 Israelis and saw over 250 hostages taken. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has caused a catastrophic death toll. As of November 29, 2025, Gaza’s Health Ministry reports over 70,000 Palestinians killed—mostly women and children—and more than 170,000 injured. Independent estimates suggest the true figure, including indirect deaths from starvation and disease, may be significantly higher.
In the occupied West Bank, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers since October 2023, including 217 children. Over 10,700 have been injured and more than 20,500 arrested.
In July 2024, the International Court of Justice issued a landmark advisory opinion declaring Israel’s 57-year occupation of Palestinian territory—including the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza—illegal under international law. The court ordered Israel to withdraw all settlers, pay reparations, and facilitate the return of refugees.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare.
For British protesters, these rulings intensified calls for policy change. Public opinion polls show more than 70 percent of UK citizens support an immediate arms embargo, yet the government has continued to approve hundreds of millions of pounds in military export licences to Israel since October 2023.
As the rally concluded in Whitehall, Ben Jamal told the crowd: “This day isn’t just about solidarity—it’s about action. The world watched in 1947 as partition failed Palestinians; we cannot fail them again in 2025.” Organizers pledged to continue monthly demonstrations until the UK ends all military support for Israel and recognises the state of Palestine.
