MORE than 80,000 workers, students and youth marched for Victory to Palestine through central London on Saturday.
The London march assembled at Embankment on the River Thames, crossed Westminster Bridge and then along to Waterloo Bridge, down the Strand and into Whitehall for a rally outside Downing Street.
There were thousands of Palestine flags and placards and banners.
At the rally following the march, London Assembly member Zoe Garbett condemned the Labour government saying: ‘Labour has approved sending more weapons to Israel in the last four months than the Tories did in the last four years!’
Then came Palestinian ambassador to the UK Husam Zomlot, who said: ‘Israel is promoting its arms all over the world and using Gaza as a test lab.
‘Israel has killed 26 children every single day for 22 months!
‘It has normalised genocide and ethnic cleansing.
‘We will not rest until there is a free Palestine and a free Gaza.’
MP Richard Burgon said: ‘I am launching a new Bill with the backing of 83 MPs from all parties to call on the PM to impose sanctions on Israel.’
Palestinian journalist Ahmed Eldin condemned German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, saying: ‘Israel’s latest action in Gaza is no longer acceptable but Germany is still supplying Israel with arms.’
Comedian Jen Brister broke down when she was recounting some of the Gaza atrocities, saying: ‘This is the most documented genocide in history.’
Ismail Patel from the Friends of Al Aqsa told the rally: ‘What is happening in Gaza is not a war it is a catastrophe – aid turned into a lethal weapon.
‘The UK government is complicit, peaceful protest is treated like a crime – it is criminalising the truth.’
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: ‘No matter how many restrictions are imposed we will not be silenced.
‘Israel has systematically obliterated every university in Gaza and students are now studying in tents.
‘But as they say in Gaza “We built universities from tents and from tents we will rebuild them”.
‘We must organise to isolate Israel and hold the government to account in the ballot box and in the courts.’
• See feature and photo gallery
