Massive Turnout as 500,000 Rally in London for “Nakba 77” Protest Against Genocide

In a remarkable display of support for the Palestinian cause, more than 500,000 demonstrators assembled in central London on Saturday, urging an end to what they describe as a continuous campaign of ethnic cleansing against Palestinians. The protesters argue that this campaign, which commenced with the Nakba in 1948, persists with alarming severity in Gaza today.

A major national demonstration convened by a coalition of notable organizations took place in central London. The event, spearheaded by groups such as the Palestinian Forum in Britain, Friends of Al-Aqsa, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, and Muslim Association of Britain, gathered at Embankment Tube at noon. Participants marched through the heart of the city, advocating for justice, liberation, and a swift cessation of the UK’s involvement in actions alleged against Israel.

The demonstration this year commemorated 77 years since the onset of the Nakba, often viewed not merely as a historical incident but as the initiation of a systematic and enduring campaign characterized by dispossession, apartheid, and violence targeting the Palestinian population. Since 1948, over 750,000 Palestinians have been expelled by Israel, more than 500 villages and towns have been demolished, and an ongoing regime of apartheid, military occupation, and siege has been imposed, persisting to the present day.

In Gaza, the ongoing conflict has become a glaring testament to what many describe as a genocidal undertaking. Within the last 18 months, Israeli forces have orchestrated a record-breaking sequence of destruction. Reports from international organizations and UN agencies indicate that over 52,000 Palestinians have perished, with women and children comprising the majority of casualties. The civilian infrastructure has been effectively annihilated, with hospitals, schools, refugee camps, and water supplies reportedly targeted. The situation has left over 1.9 million individuals displaced, encircled by siege, and grappling with an Israeli-induced humanitarian crisis marked by famine and disease. Legal scholars and human rights advocates have labeled this offensive as an act of genocide.

The demonstration featured an array of speakers, including representatives from all co-organizing groups, trade unionists, students, and community leaders. Notable figures such as historian William Dalrymple, activist Leanne Mohamad, Freedom Flotilla activist Col. Ann Wright, and Shawan Jabarin, director of the Al-Haq human rights organization, addressed the gathering. A passionate address was also delivered by Fares Amer, the spokesperson for the Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB). Amer declared, “Despite efforts to erase the Palestinian people from existence, to the dismay of the Zionists and their Western supporters, we remain. The objective of Israel’s actions in Gaza aims to complete a task begun 77 years ago, but they will not succeed.”

The demonstration maintained a peaceful yet resolute tone as participants filled the streets of London with chants of “Free Palestine,” “Ceasefire Now,” and “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free.”

On the same day, a national march for Palestine took place in Edinburgh, organized by Scottish activists.