London witnesses one of its largest demonstrations since Gaza ceasefire

More than 100,000 march in support of Palestine and in rejection of the Trump-led ‘Peace Council’


Middle East Monitor, February 1, 2026 at 10:30 am


London witnessed one of the largest pro-Palestine demonstrations since the ceasefire agreement signed in October 2025, as more than 100,000 people took part in a mass march through central London. Protesters voiced their rejection of the so-called ‘Peace Council’ led by the administration of US President Donald Trump, renewed calls to end the genocide and ethnic cleansing, and demanded the release of Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons.

The march drew a broad cross-section of the public, including British families, human rights campaigners, trade unionists, doctors, students, and members of the Arab and Muslim communities. Participants waved Palestinian flags and carried placards calling for accountability for war crimes and an end to UK arms exports to Israel.

The demonstration was called by the Palestine Solidarity coalition, bringing together several of Britain’s leading grassroots and advocacy organisations, including: Palestinian Forum in Britain, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Islamic Association of Britain, and Friends of Al-Aqsa. Organisers said the continued public mobilisation reflects widespread rejection across Britain of political proposals that bypass the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them the right to freedom, return, and an end to occupation.

Speakers on the main stage included prominent political, medical and cultural figures: Jeremy Corbyn MP, Ghassan Abu Sittah, John McDonnell MP, Juliet Stevenson, and representatives from several UK trade unions. Tariq Othman delivered remarks on behalf of the Palestinian Forum in Britain, while Samer Jaber spoke representing the Red Ribbons campaign calling for the release of Palestinian detainees.

In his address, Jeremy Corbyn stressed the importance of global solidarity in confronting injustice, saying events in Palestine cannot be treated as distant or marginal. He pointed to the presence of more than 3,509 administrative detainees among thousands of Palestinians held without charge or trial in Israeli prisons, describing the policy as a clear violation of international law. Corbyn also renewed his opposition to proposals from the Trump administration aimed at imposing control over Palestinian land, stating that: those who destroyed Gaza should bear the cost of rebuilding it; there can be no genuine peace without the return of Palestinian refugees to the villages from which they were displaced; ending genocide and ethnic cleansing must be an international priority.

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Red ribbons were distributed to tens of thousands of participants as part of a global campaign highlighting the plight of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons. Organisers said the red colour symbolises the immediate danger facing prisoners amid administrative detention, torture, medical neglect and harsh conditions of confinement, adding that the issue will remain central to public action until all detainees are released.

Speaking to the crowd, Adnan Hmidan, coordinator of the Red Ribbons campaign, noted that the demonstration coincided with the first anniversary of the killing of the Palestinian child Hind Rajab. He said Hind was killed alongside members of her family and the paramedics who attempted to rescue her after more than 350 bullets were fired at the vehicle in which they had sought shelter, describing the incident as emblematic of the wider tragedy facing Palestinians. Hmidan said the core message of the demonstration was: “Not allowing the occupation to finish off what remains of the Palestinian people, particularly the detainees enduring extremely harsh conditions in some of the worst prisons on earth.”

Shaima Dallali spoke on behalf of the Muslim Association of Britain, focusing on the catastrophic humanitarian reality left in Gaza. She referred to the recent acknowledgement by Israeli authorities of the casualty figures announced by Gaza’s Ministry of Health, which exceed 70,000 people killed, stressing that each number represents an entire human story, a family that has lost its children and its future. She said the tragedy cannot be reduced to statistics, but remains an open wound on the human conscience.

The London march coincided with coordinated actions around the world highlighting the suffering of Palestinian detainees, with events taking place from the West Bank to Australia, as well as in Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Germany, South Korea, Mexico and elsewhere. Participants said the synchronised mobilisation reflects the growing breadth of international solidarity and rejection of attempts to normalise or obscure crimes committed against Palestinians.

Organisers stressed that the British public will remain present and vocal for as long as genocide continues, occupation persists, and freedom remains denied to a people who have paid the price of their steadfastness for more than seven decades.