Pro-Palestine protesters are set to defy Sir Keir Starmer's call not to demonstrate on the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks. The Prime Minister described the timing as "un-British" and showing "little respect for others" in The Times.
University students from King's College London, London School of Economics, University College London, SOAS and Roehampton University have organised events in the capital for Tuesday. Additional demonstrations are scheduled at Strathclyde University, Edinburgh University and the University of Leeds.
The University of Liverpool has postponed a planned Palestine "bake sale" fundraiser following discussions with organisers. A university spokesperson said the event would be moved to "an alternative date" after working to promote "an inclusive, respectful and welcoming campus culture".
Anniversary marks Hamas attacks
The demonstrations commemorate the Hamas attacks that killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken from Israel. Starmer said: "Time does not diminish the evil we saw that day. The worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust."
The anniversary comes less than a week after terrorist Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, killed two men at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester. Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, died in the attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
Student groups have been actively promoting Tuesday's protests on social media. King's College London Students for Justice for Palestine posted that it was "incumbent upon every student at KCL to be there to show solidarity" at the 2pm walkout from classes.
Government calls for restraint
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson urged students to "pause" and "show some humanity" before joining protests. She told Sky News: "There are 364 other days in the year where you can protest. And that is not to diminish their right to protest about the suffering that they see in Gaza."
Phillipson emphasised the "fundamental right to protest" while encouraging demonstrators to "understand the deep sense of loss that many people in our country will be experiencing today". She specifically referenced the Manchester synagogue attack when calling for reflection.
Starmer issued a statement highlighting the ongoing impact on British Jewish communities: "Our Jewish communities have also endured rising antisemitism on our streets, in our country. This is a stain on who we are."
Weekend protests see mass arrests
Nearly 500 people were arrested during pro-Palestine protests in Trafalgar Square on Sunday, where thousands also attended a separate commemoration event. The demonstrations occurred at the same location as a memorial gathering for the October 7 anniversary.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch condemned the planned protests, stating they showed "the same hatred that fuelled (the October 7 attacks) still festers today". She criticised "so-called 'protests' that turn into hate marches on our streets" and chants calling to "globalise the intifada".
Badenoch accused the government of rewarding "the terrorists that perpetrated the 7th October atrocities" by recognising Palestine as a state. She described Israel as "a beacon of democracy and resilience in the Middle East" that has faced hatred since its founding.
Legal reforms proposed
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick described the protest plans as "a f****** disgrace" and called for legal reforms if organisers refuse to cancel events. He urged demonstrators to "show some common decency" on the anniversary.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced plans to amend the Public Order Act 1986, allowing police to consider the cumulative impact of frequent protests when imposing conditions. The government will review existing legislation to ensure police have sufficient powers to restrict or ban protests outright.
Mahmood stated that repeated large-scale protests had caused "considerable fear" for the Jewish community. Greater Manchester Police have committed "every available resource" to investigating the synagogue attack.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
