Photo: National Demonstration for Palestine – 9 Aug 2025 – Greg Addington
On Saturday August 9th 300,000 people marched in the London sunshine … but under the shadow of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. It was the 29th National March and one of the largest turnouts, reflecting the growing awareness amongst the British public of the almost unimaginable horrors perpetrated by the IDF in Gaza and now the West Bank. The march was the usual mix of ages, ethnicity and religions and those of no faith.
The last few weeks have seen the documented death toll increase to over 60,000, including those killed scrambling for food at the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites, the globally discredited death traps. In the last week Israel has also announced its intention to occupy the whole of the Gaza Strip.
Shamefully, our government remains only ‘concerned’ by the live-streamed genocide and still refuses to condemn Israel, widen sanctions and end the supply of weapons to Israel.
Speakers at the march included actress Denise Gough, who called on more celebrities to use their platform to speak out; Zack Polanski who emphasised the early pro-Palestinian stance of the Green Party; Sam Weinstein from IJAN whose his elderly mother had been on every march including this one; Ahmed Alnaouq from Palestinian Forum in Britain who flagged the pre-Oct 7th 17-year blockade; comedian Ivo Graham who was devastated by the killing of the 23 year old Gazan journalist Hossam Shabat; journalist Owen Jones who recalled Israel’s declared intention from day one to cut off all the essentials of life - which they have done with total impunity; Dan Perry the Royal Ballet dancer who raised the Palestinian flag at the Opera House, and Ben Jamal who listed every red line crossed by Israel to date.
Parliament Square saw a gathering of support for the proscribed Palestine Action. Retired doctors, nurses, a blind wheelchair bound man, pensioners, teenagers, were all among the over 500 arrested under the terrorism act - the biggest mass arrest by the Met Police in a single operation in the past decade.
Awareness and understanding are finally growing amongst the British public so we must keep up the momentum at this pivotal time.
Videos taken during the demonstration
Clare Short, former MP and Secretary of State for International Development, and ICAHD UK patron marched with us at the National Demonstration for Palestine, London, 9th August 2025.
Vish Vishvanath, documentary photographer, cinematographer and technical consultant, currently living in Hamburg, Germany spoke to ICAHD UK during the National Demonstration for Palestine, London, 9th August 2025.
Vish was on Irene, the Jewish boat to Gaza that was intercepted by Israeli authorities in September 2010 so has long been demonstrating his support of the Palestinian struggle.
Prof Paul Robinson, psychiatrist, member of Jewish organisations that support the Palestinian struggle and former chair of ICAHD UK spoke to us at the National Demonstration for Palestine, London, 9th August 2025.
Photos
Click on the photo to view full-size version.
