Thousands of pro-Palestine demonstrators marched through central London on Saturday, making their way from Russell Square to Whitehall in a mass protest against the intensifying conflict in the Middle East.
Waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans such as free Palestine, occupation no more, and stop bombing Iran, the protestors voiced strong opposition to Israel’s military actions and Western involvement in the region.
The march took place amid warnings from Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who described the current situation in the Middle East as extremely dangerous and urged Iran to engage in diplomatic talks with the United States.
As the protestors passed near Waterloo Bridge, they encountered a smaller counter-demonstration organised by the pro-Israel group “Stop The Hate.” Chants of “shame on you” were directed at the counter-protesters.
Tensions briefly escalated when a bottle was thrown towards the opposing group, prompting police to intervene. One individual was chased down the Strand and arrested at the scene.
Lammy had flown from Washington to Geneva on Friday to attend emergency talks alongside his French and German counterparts, where he met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Following the meeting, Lammy stated that there remains a narrow two-week window to pursue a diplomatic resolution. He called on Iran to step away from confrontation and engage with the Americans in constructive dialogue.
He confirmed that both the US and European powers were urging Iran to agree to a complete halt in uranium enrichment as a basis for renewed negotiations. However, Araghchi rejected any dialogue while Israeli airstrikes against Iran continued, reiterating that Iran’s nuclear programme remains peaceful in nature.
The diplomatic push comes as US President Donald Trump announced a two-week delay in any decision to support Israeli military operations against Iran.
Fighting between Israel and Iran-aligned forces has continued, with Iranian missile strikes targeting Haifa and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing that military operations will persist *for as long as necessary*.
The current wave of violence was sparked on 7 October 2023, when Hamas militants launched a deadly attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
In response, Israel launched a prolonged military campaign in Gaza, which has so far resulted in the deaths of nearly 55,600 Palestinians, as reported by Gaza’s health ministry. The offensive has displaced the majority of Gaza’s over two million residents, creating a dire humanitarian and hunger crisis.
