British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called on students across the United Kingdom to abstain from participating in pro-Palestinian protests scheduled for Tuesday, marking the second anniversary of Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Starmer described the planned demonstrations as “disrespectful” and warned that such gatherings risk fuelling antisemitism at a time of heightened national sensitivity.
Students from several London universities are expected to stage walkouts at 2:00 p.m. (1300 GMT), followed by a march through central London. Similar rallies, vigils, and marches are planned in other cities, including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Sheffield, and Manchester, where a recent attack outside a synagogue left two people dead.
Writing in The Times, the prime minister criticised ongoing pro-Palestinian protests, alleging that they have “been used by some as a despicable excuse to attack British Jews for something over which they have absolutely no responsibility.”
He added, “This is not who we are as a country. It’s un-British to have so little respect for others. And that’s before some of them decide to start chanting hatred towards Jewish people all over again.”
Starmer’s comments have drawn mixed reactions. The Jewish Bloc for Palestine accused the government of “weaponising the fear and grief” of Jewish communities, rejecting suggestions that solidarity with Palestinians equates to antisemitism.
In a separate statement marking the anniversary, Starmer condemned what he called “rising antisemitism” in the UK, citing the Manchester synagogue attack that occurred during Yom Kippur, Judaism’s holiest day.
“This is a stain on who we are,” he said. “This country will always stand tall and united against those who wish harm and hatred upon Jewish communities.”
Hamas’s October 2023 attack left 1,219 people dead in Israel, mostly civilians, and saw 251 hostages taken — 47 of whom remain in Gaza, with the Israeli military confirming that 25 are dead. Israel’s subsequent offensive has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians over the past two years, according to Gaza health ministry figures, which the United Nations considers credible.
Starmer reaffirmed his government’s commitment to helping secure the release of British hostages and reiterated support for a two-state solution. The UK, alongside several allies, officially recognised a Palestinian state last month.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrations went ahead over the weekend despite government appeals for restraint, with activist groups arguing that criticism of Israel’s policies should not be conflated with antisemitism.
Meanwhile, around 3,000 people gathered in central London on Sunday for a commemorative event marking the Hamas attack anniversary, waving Israeli and Union Jack flags and holding photos of hostages still held in Gaza.
