London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Mar 09, 2026

Almost 200,000 people join 'free Palestine' protest in central London

Almost 200,000 people join 'free Palestine' protest in central London

Around 180,000 people joined a march through central London this afternoon in solidarity with Palestine.


Demonstrators assembled hours after a ceasefire was agreed in the wake of 11 days of conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

They congregated at Victoria Embankment before travelling towards Hyde Park.

Protestors holding banners, placards and flags let off green and red coloured smoke as they cried chants including ‘We are all Palestinians’ during the march.

Many wore costumes, masks and face paint while others draped themselves in the Palestinian flag.

Some clambered onto bus stops and lamp posts while others wrote ‘Free Palestine’ on the walls.

The group called out ‘Boris Johnson, shame on you’ when they reached Downing Street.

Around 180,000 people have joined the protests in central London this afternoon

Pro-Palestine demonstrators let off smoke in the colours of the Palestinian flag

The capital became a sea of red, green and black in the march in solidarity with Palestine


Among the organisations involved in the demonstrations are branches of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop The War Coalition and National Education Union.

A temporary stage was set up in Hyde Park for speeches to be made this afternoon.

Labour’s former Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell, told crowds: ‘Yes, a ceasefire has been negotiated and we welcome a ceasefire.

‘But let’s be clear, there will be no ceasefire in our campaign to boycott, disinvest and sanction the Israeli apartheid state.

‘The message is clear; we will not cease our campaign in solidarity until there is justice. So let’s make it clear, no justice, no peace.’

Pro-Palestinian activists demonstrating near Embankment Tube station this afternoon

A protester in stands atop one of the four Landseer Lions in Trafalgar Square, central London, during a march in solidarity with Palestine

Around 180,000 people are estimated to have joined protests to ‘Free Palestine’ in the capital


Crowds responded by cheering and releasing fireworks and coloured smoke.

Protester Muktha Ali, 32, from Harrow, northwest London, said: ‘I’m here because this is now urgent, the Israeli occupation needs to end now, it’s been long enough.

‘Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and children have been bombed and murdered, Palestine has to be free.’

Another, named Jake, said: ‘I stand in solidarity with Palestinians, and so should everyone, no matter your nationality.

‘It’s great to see so many people come out in their thousands to support the cause. We will win – our cause will be heard.’

The protest is said to have been largely peaceful although a few people were seen throwing objects at police attempting to split crowds in Hyde Park.

A pro-Palestine activist holds a placards opposite the London Eye

Demonstrators descended on the capital two days after Israel and Hamas agreed a ceasefire

Pro-Palestinian activists voiced opposition to Israeli military action in the Gaza strip


The truce, which was agreed on Thursday evening and came into effect at 2am on Friday morning, ended the fourth Israel-Hamas war in just over a decade.

The ceasefire was praised by both the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab.

But it was less than a day before violence erupted after Israeli police stormed the Al-Asqa Mosque shortly after prayers on Friday.

At least 232 Palestinians, including 65 children, were killed during the 11 days of violence, Gaza’s Health Ministry said.

Israeli authorities said at least 150 of those killed were militants.

Some 12 people including two children have perished in Israel, according to the country’s medical service.

Celebrities including Idris Elba, Rihanna and model Bella Hadid – whose father is Palestinian – joined growing calls for the bloodshed to end.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Declines UK Offer to Deploy Aircraft Carriers to Middle East Amid Iran Conflict
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Return to Australia After Seven Years for Philanthropic and Business Engagements
UK Government Signals Independence From Washington as Cooper Says Britain Does Not Agree With Trump on Every Issue
UK Experts Warn AI Chatbots Are Fueling Surge in Claims of Organised ‘Satanic’ Ritual Abuse
UK Political Parties Divided Over Strategy as Iran Conflict Reshapes Foreign Policy Debate
Britain Discloses Secret Military Repair Hubs Operating Inside Ukraine
Trump Says US No Longer Needs UK Carrier Support After Delayed Offer Amid Iran Conflict
Why Britain Has Become Involved in the US-Israel Military Campaign Against Iran
UK Gas Storage Falls to Under Two Days as Iran Conflict Jolts Global Energy Markets
UK Warned to Brace for Economic Shock as Iran War Drives Global Energy Price Surge
Starmer and Trump Hold First Call After Public Dispute Over Iran Conflict
UK Dentists Returned £1.3 Billion to Government as Shift Toward Private Care Accelerates
Expert Warns UK Must Build Emergency Food Stockpiles to Prepare for Climate Shocks or War
UK Plans Charter Flight to Evacuate British Nationals from Gulf as Regional Conflict Disrupts Air Travel
Families of Zimbabwe’s Liberation Fighters Call on Britain to Help Locate Skulls Taken During Colonial War
Iran’s Ambassador Warns Britain to ‘Be Very Careful’ Over Deeper Role in Expanding Middle East War
UK Military Leadership Defends Britain’s Defensive Role in Expanding Middle East Conflict
Four U.S. Strategic Bombers Arrive in Britain as Iran War Intensifies
Soham Murderer Ian Huntley Dies After Violent Attack in High-Security Prison
UK Lawmakers and Experts Condemn Scale of Overseas Human Remains Held in British Museums
Royal Navy Aircraft Carrier HMS Prince of Wales Placed on Standby for Potential Deployment
United Kingdom Confirms U.S. Military Using British Bases for Operations Targeting Iranian Missile Sites
Starmer Defends UK Role in Iran Conflict After Renewed Criticism from President Trump
Blue Owl Reveals £36 Million Exposure After Collapse of UK Lender Serving Wealthy Clients
UK Asylum Reform Plan Triggers Fierce Debate Over Border Control and Humanitarian Impact
US Stealth Bombers Head to UK Base as Trump Issues Stark Warning to Iran
UK Deputy Prime Minister Says Legal Case Could Exist for British Strikes on Iranian Missile Sites
Investigators Link Mysterious Parcel Fires Across Europe to Russian Intelligence Operation
Debate Intensifies Over Britain’s Legal Justification for US Military Operations Launched From UK Bases
Britain Faces Heightened Energy Price Risks as Iran-Linked Tensions Threaten Global Oil and Gas Supplies
British Counter-Terror Police Arrest Four Suspected of Spying on Jewish Community for Iran
Axel Springer Agrees $770 Million Deal to Acquire Britain’s Daily Telegraph
Iceland Supermarket Drops Trademark Challenge Against Icelandic Government in Long-Running Naming Dispute
UK Defence Secretary Visits Cyprus Following Scrutiny of Britain’s Response to Drone Attacks
Questions Grow Over Britain’s Military Readiness as Response to Iran Conflict Draws Scrutiny
UK Offers Failed Asylum Seeker Families Up to Forty Thousand Pounds to Leave Voluntarily
Saharan Dust Could Bring ‘Blood Rain’ to Parts of the UK as Weather Systems Shift
UK Deploys Additional Typhoon Fighter Jets to Qatar and Helicopters to Cyprus Amid Rising Middle East Tensions
Experts Urge Britain to Accelerate Renewable Energy Push as Global Conflicts Drive Up Costs
British Public Shows Strong Reluctance to Join Wider War in Iran
First UK Evacuation Flight Departs Middle East After Lengthy Delay
United Kingdom Imposes New Visa Requirements on Travelers from St. Lucia and Nicaragua
Iran Conflict Strains U.S.–U.K. Alliance as Trump and Starmer Clash Over Military Strategy
UK Interest Rates Could Rise Above Four Percent Again if Energy Shock Continues, Think Tank Warns
Starmer Defends Britain’s Iran Strategy as Badenoch Urges Stronger Military Support
Labour MP Says She Saw No Sign Husband Broke Law After Arrest in China Espionage Investigation
UK Jobless Rate Overtakes Italy’s for First Time in Years as Labour Market Weakens
United Kingdom Suspends Student Visas for Four Countries in Unprecedented Immigration Move
Campaigners Warn UK Student Visa Ban Could Push Migrants Toward Dangerous Channel Crossings
First U.K. Charter Flight for Stranded Nationals Set to Depart Oman Amid Middle East Crisis
×