London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Oct 24, 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
Northern Ireland Executive Ministers Reach Consensus on Shared Economic Development Priorities to Stimulate Regional Growth in Belfast
Department for Business and Trade Finalizes Conditional Support Package for Advanced Semiconductor Fabrication Facilities in Newport
Welsh Government Unveils Regional Industrial Development Strategy to Attract Green Energy Investment to South Wales Manufacturing Hubs
Foreign Secretary David Lammy Concludes Diplomatic Mission to European Capital Cities to Strengthen Post-Brexit Defense Cooperation
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Implements Stricter Regulatory Compliance Standards for Water Utilities Across England
Office for National Statistics Reports Moderate Wage Growth Stabilization and Resilient Employment Figures Across the United Kingdom
Scottish Government and Trade Union Representatives Reach Tentative Pay Agreement for Public Sector Transport Workers in Edinburgh
National Health Service England Announces Emergency Capital Funding Allocation to Reduce Winter Emergency Department Bottlenecks
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee Signals Cautious Approach to Interest Rate Reductions Amid Persistent Inflation Pressures
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Treasury Officials Finalize Urgent Fiscal Adjustments Ahead of Upcoming National Budget
Tour de France Organizers Confirm Historic Grand Depart Featuring Edinburgh and Yorkshire Stages
National Cyber Security Centre Issues Urgent Alerts Following Global Security Vulnerability in Core Programming Software
Independent Energy Analysts Warn Great Britain Faces Highest Winter Power Tariffs in Europe
Major British Defense Contractors Commit to Delivering Forty Thousand New Apprenticeships and Training Placements
New Bradford Railway Station Infrastructure Project Approved to Transform Regional Transit Connectivity Across Northern England
Welsh Infrastructure Stakeholders Press Government for Accelerated Local Sourcing in Military and Uniform Manufacturing
Scottish Council Governance Crisis Triggers High-Court Legal Challenge Over Leadership Ouster Bid
High Street Bakery Chain Greggs Announces Major Factory Closures and Seven Hundred Job Cuts
Automotive Manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover Advances Advanced Defense Technology Partnership with European Allies
Treasury and Bank of England Officials Signal Persistent Concern Over Inflation-Driven Interest Rate Path
International Monetary Fund Upgrades United Kingdom Growth Forecast While Issuing Inflation Warnings
National Health Service Leaders Warn of Severe Capacity Pressures as Early Winter Respiratory Infections Surge
Government Issues Emergency Resilience Guidance Advising All British Citizens to Stockpile Essential Supplies
United Kingdom Private Sector Growth Beats Expectations in October Driven by Resilient Services and Manufacturing
Barclays to Cut Five Thousand Jobs in Major Artificial Intelligence Adoption and Cost-Cutting Overhaul
Piper Tomahawk Aircraft Crash Near Drymen in Stirling Claims Two Lives as Investigators Deploy
North Sea Transition Authority Approves Jackdaw Gas Field Production After Ministerial Authorization
Government Injects One Hundred and Forty Million Pounds to Expand Urgent Care Ahead of Winter Crisis
Department of Health Warns Further Pay Rises Will Derail National Health Service Waiting List Targets
Major Environmental Emergency Declared in South Wales Following Aerospace Kerosene Spill
Tank Barrel Production Returns to Britain as Defence Contractors Accelerate Domestic Rearmament
Government Approves Controversial Jackdaw Gasfield Development in the North Sea
National Health Service Maternity Safety Review Condemned Over Flawed Artificial Intelligence Integration
Dozens of United Kingdom Government Services Taken Offline Amid Critical Software Vulnerability
Barclays Announces Five Thousand Job Cuts Citing Artificial Intelligence Productivity Gains
Treasury Relaxes Post-Financial Crisis Accountability Rules for City of London Executives
United Kingdom Government Issues Unprecedented Guidance Urging Citizens to Stockpile Essential Supplies
United Kingdom Consumer Inflation Accelerates to Eleven-Month High Driven by Transport Costs
United Kingdom Public Sector Net Debt Breaches Three Trillion Pounds Ahead of Autumn Budget
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Commits Fifty Million Pounds to Establish Regional Artificial Intelligence Innovation Clusters
Ofgem Directs Major Energy Suppliers to Expand Vulnerable Household Support Funds Ahead of Winter Heating Season
Home Office and National Police Chiefs Council Unveil New Intelligence-Led Strategy to Tackle Organised Immigration Crime Networks
First Minister John Swinney Secures Scottish Parliament Approval for Comprehensive Climate and Green Energy Infrastructure Strategy
National Health Service England and Trades Union Congress Finalize Agreement on Emergency Winter Staffing and Pay Frameworks
HM Treasury and Department for Business and Trade Announce Multi-Billion-Pound Sovereign Investment Pact to Spur Regional Advanced Manufacturing
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey Signals Potential for Faster Interest Rate Cuts as Domestic Inflation Pressures Ease Below Forecasts
Parliamentary Inquiry Highlights Urgent Need to Address Housing Shortage as Scottish Completions Hit Eleven-Year Low
United Kingdom and Singapore Sign Comprehensive Financial Agreement to Deepen Digital and Sustainable Market Ties
Greggs Announces Plan to Close Four Manufacturing Facilities and Cut Seven Hundred and Forty Jobs
International Monetary Fund Raises United Kingdom Economic Growth Forecast While Warning of Inflationary Pressures
×