There was a demonstration of over 500 people outside the Foreign Office in Westminster on Friday evening organised by the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) calling for an immediate end to weapons sales to Israel by the British government.
The crowd chanted: ‘David Lammy You Can’t Hide! We Charge You With Genocide! You Will See, You Will See, Palestine Will Be Free!’ and ‘All of London By Your Side. Victory to Palestine!’
The demonstration outside the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office demanded a complete arms embargo on Israel after a damning report by the PYM (Palestine Youth Movement) exposed the level of arms sales to Israel since October 2023.
The UK has continued to send F35 components despite the Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, claiming that direct transfer was suspended in September 2024.
Evidence suggests this continued after the September 2024 ban on the shipment of F35 parts.
Thousands of military items have been shipped including munitions, bombs, mines and torpedos.
This contradicts Lammy’s claim that the shipments only contained items for self defence such as goggles and helmets.
Demands were voiced that Lammy should resign immediately and that the UK government should immediately disclose all arms sales to Israel, including those sent after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling stating there was a ‘plausible case for genocide’ and that the UK government is fully complicit in the genocide in Gaza and breaches of international law.
At the demonstration, speaking to News Line, Aroona Smith said: ‘It’s just inhumane, there’s no humanity, what if it was England?
‘I think that the Prime Minister Keir Starmer is corrupt. I think a lot if people support Palestine but they don’t know the full depth of what Israel is doing.
‘He lost a child, which is terrible, yet he can support Israel that is killing children. He has no shame. We are spreading the word.’
Nico told News Line: ‘It is important to keep showing up when the world is supporting Palestine and Sudan.
‘Down with western Imperialism. Victory to Palestine.’
Arrival Flex said: ‘This government is unapologetic about the atrocities they are committing. They are not sorry. They continue with their imperialist, malevolent, supremacist attitude.’
Speaking at the rally, Yosar from Workers For a Free Palestine, said: ‘Those on the seats of power are lying to our faces.
‘David Lammy, who has received £30,000 from Zionist organisations, refuses to stop the arms sales to Israel.
‘The politicians’ decisions have led to the deaths of over 70,000 people. In Tangier a ship bound for Israel was turned away because trade unionists refused to service it.
‘In Britain we see the government, which is supposed to represent working people, act against what the working class want, not just supporting Israel but making huge cuts.
‘We have to continue to organise protests and strikes in the trade unions to get what we want.’
Ikaay Gbi, from Haringey and Tottenham Palestine Action, said: ‘I wonder how I can do justice to the tens of thousands dead and hundreds of thousands starving.
‘Many of us are in the constituency of Foreign Secretary, David Lammy. The government have acknowledged that F-35 jets have been used to bomb Gaza.
‘They told us these would no longer be used but we have found out through the Palestinian Youth Movement that this is a lie.
‘David Lammy and his morally bankrupt friends do not represent us. We demand a full arms embargo.’
Alexander Gordon from the RMT transport union said: ‘David Lammy told the House of Commons that most of the weapons the UK are sending are defensive, like helmets and goggles, this is clearly not true.
‘Not only did the government continue to ship F-35 parts to Israel these shipments were still going on as late as March this year.
‘Global companies like Fed Ex and UPS ship into Israel. Air Road and sea logistics are the key to Israel waging war on Gaza. We would like to thank the Palestine Youth Movement which now has tax receipts showing that the government continue to ship weapons to Israel that are used in Gaza.’
Gianni, from PYM, said: ‘They have sent over 100,000 bullets and parts for fighter jets.
‘The government say they suspended 30 military contracts. They lie to us and they lie to the media. This does not surprise us.
‘We are Palestinians, we are calling for change.
‘The imperialists’ interests are always in making profits and not with the masses. We have exposed them so that the whole world can see what they are doing.
‘We Arab youth in the diaspora oppose their genocide. If we are disciplined and we are organised we can beat the capitalist ruling class. We will win.’