PM urges students not to join pro-Palestinian protests

On the second anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has urged students not to join planned pro-Palestinian demonstrations, warning of a rise in antisemitism across the UK.

Speaking on Tuesday, Sir Keir described holding protests on this date as “un-British” and “showing no regard for others”, saying the anniversary should not be used as a pretext to target British Jews. His comments follow a violent attack on a Manchester synagogue last week, which prompted heightened security around Jewish communities nationwide.

Several student groups from London universities are expected to march in solidarity with Palestinians, alongside events planned in Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bristol, Sheffield, and Strathclyde.

Universities UK, representing higher education institutions, said that while campuses are places for open debate, protest organisers should be sensitive to the date and its impact on Jewish students.

Sir Keir added that the UK would “stand tall and united” against those spreading hatred, while Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson echoed his call for restraint:

“There are 364 other days in the year when people can protest. Today should be a time for reflection and compassion.”

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch and Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick also condemned demonstrations planned for Tuesday, warning against what they described as “hate marches”.

The Union of Jewish Students criticised the timing of the protests, saying:

“No Jewish student should have to watch others commemorate a day that represents such pain and loss for our families.”

However, University Campuses Action for Palestine, one of the main organisers of the London march, said it would “not be silenced or intimidated” and stood in solidarity with “thousands of Palestinians killed before and after October 2023.”

The Metropolitan Police reported nearly 500 arrests at a recent pro-Palestinian demonstration in London involving members of the banned group Palestine Action. Despite police appeals and government calls to postpone upcoming marches, protests are still expected to proceed.

The anniversary marks two years since Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, killed more than 67,000 people—a figure Israel disputes.

Last month, Sir Keir’s government formally recognised the State of Palestine, amid growing international pressure to end the conflict.