Hundreds of police officers will be joined by Jewish volunteers in central London on Sunday to protect the first major pro-Israel rally in Trafalgar Square since the terrorist attack last year.
The event, called “Stand with Israel”, is being held to mark 100 days since the October 7 atrocity by Hamas.
Unlike previous vigils for captured hostages and last November’s high-profile march against antisemitism, the rally is an overtly state-backed affair, raising concerns that it could be targeted by Islamist extremists.
The event, which is expected to be attended by tens of thousands of supporters, is co-organised by the Israeli embassy in London and the headline speaker, Eylon Levy, is the Israeli government’s chief spokesman.
Other speakers include Lord Pickles, the UK government’s special envoy for post-Holocaust issues, who described the October 7 attacks as a “pogrom”.
Ayelet Svatitzky, a British-Israeli writer whose brother, Roi, was killed by Hamas gunmen in the massacre, will also address the audience. Her other brother, Nadav, 51, is one of two Britons still being held by the terrorist group. Svatitzky’s mother, Channah, 79, was also taken hostage, but later released.
On Saturday an estimated 100,000 pro-Palestinian supporters marched through central London calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The protest — the seventh national demonstration since Israel responded to the October 7 atrocity by Hamas — ran from the Bank of England to Parliament Square with a large police presence.
Up to 1,700 officers were on duty, including many from forces outside London. St Paul’s Cathedral was protected by a contingent from Dyfed-Powys police. One officer said it was the fourth time he had been deployed to London.
A number of placards referred to the UK and US military action against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen who have been attacking cargo ships in the Red Sea. One banner stated “Free Palestine, hands off Yemen”, while another said “The West cares more about shipping lanes than living breathing human beings in Gaza.”
A third placard seen near the front of the march read: “America Israel done October 7 attacks to take Iran’s oil, like Iraq & Libya.”
As with previous protests, a number of controversial chants were invoked, including “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and “There is only one solution, intifada revolution”.
At one point in the march, a giant puppet of a refugee girl, known as Little Amal, walked alongside a group of British Palestinian children.
Nine people were arrested, including three individuals who were detained under the Terrorism Act on suspicion of showing support for a proscribed organisation. The action allegedly related to the distribution of leaflets which called for “Victory to the Palestinian people in their just war for liberation!”
Although Sunday’s Trafalgar Square rally is intended to raise awareness of the plight of the 133 hostages who remain captive, it comes at a time when Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice in the Hague.
More than 23,000 Palestinians, including over 10,000 children, have been killed in the Israel Defence Forces offensive in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Those attending the rally have been asked to register online in advance. Scotland Yard will deploy hundreds of officers, including some from forces outside London, to form a security cordon around the square.
Volunteers from the Community Security Trust, who normally protect synagogues and other Jewish sites, will also be present.
There is no specific intelligence to suggest that terrorists are planning to attack the rally. However, police are concerned that pro-Palestinian supporters might attempt to disrupt proceedings or chant abuse from the periphery.
Officers are also live to the possibility of far-right hooligans turning up, ostensibly to pledge their support for Israel, although Tommy Robinson, the former English Defence League leader who was arrested at last November’s march against antisemitism, is barred from entering London by his bail conditions.
Pickles said: “It’s important that we stand by the only democracy in the Middle East. It’s important that the pogrom that was committed against Israel should not be forgotten and that we should take the necessary measures to ensure that it can’t happen again.”
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Pickles, who is also chairman of the Conservative Friends of Israel group in the Lords, added: “I’ll be saying that we need a ceasefire — but that can only occur when all the hostages are released and when Hamas surrenders its weapons.”
The peer also criticised those who continue to attend pro-Palestine marches, which have been marred by antisemitic placards and chants.
“The majority of people walking on those marches are not antisemitic, but they are quite happy to march beside people who are antisemitic,” he said. “They are quite happy to be seen with people who are chanting for the death of Jews. It gives [the marches] legitimacy.”
