Several thousand pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through central London on October 10, marking three years since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack and calling for an end to Israeli military strikes on Gaza. The protest, organized by the Palestine Coalition under the banner “National March for Palestine,” saw participants carrying signs with messages including “End the genocide” and “Free Palestine” along a route near the British Parliament.

The demonstration came amid a backdrop of ongoing tensions in Gaza despite a ceasefire that began approximately one year ago. Although Israel has reduced the frequency of its attacks, it continues to carry out near-daily airstrikes. According to Gaza’s health ministry, these strikes have resulted in the deaths of around 1,450 Palestinians since the ceasefire's implementation.

Aimee Shalan, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, who spoke at the event, described the situation in Gaza as an “ongoing genocide.” She criticized Western governments, including the United Kingdom, for what she called insufficient responses to settler violence and urged the imposition of full sanctions on Israel.

Among those participating was 23-year-old recent graduate Hibo Hassan, who expressed her solidarity with Gaza, saying that the conflict, though geographically distant, affects communities globally. Another marcher, a 32-year-old Kosovar immigrant who identified himself as Kobe, cited his own experiences of war as motivation to join the protest and advocate against repeated cycles of violence.

The march took place three days after the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, which triggered a large-scale Israeli military offensive. Gaza’s health ministry reports that this offensive has caused widespread destruction and claimed over 74,200 lives.

In response to the pro-Palestinian rally, a smaller counter-demonstration was held by Stop The Hate UK, a Jewish-led group supporting Israel. London’s Metropolitan Police supervised both events, employing public order laws to regulate the gathering. Officers warned that anyone wearing face coverings intended to conceal their identity would be required to remove them. Senior Met officer Carl Galvin emphasized a zero-tolerance policy toward hate crimes and other offenses during the demonstrations.

Authorities confirmed that several arrests were made during the march, including a man and a woman found displaying placards in support of Palestine Action, a group banned by the British government due to alleged extremist links. The police maintained a visible presence throughout the event to manage security and public safety.