Thousands Unite Against Antisemitism in London's Largest March in Decades
Thousands gathered in London for a march against antisemitism, with prominent figures such as Boris Johnson and Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis in attendance. The rally aimed to combat rising tensions and condemn hateful incidents.
Thousands of people, including former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and UK Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, gathered in London on Sunday for a march against antisemitism. Organized as a show of solidarity with the Jewish community, the march was hailed as the largest gathering against antisemitism in London for decades. Marchers proudly waved Israeli and UK Union flags and held placards with powerful messages such as "Never Again Is Now" and "Zero Tolerance for Antisemites." The rally aimed to address the concerns and rising tensions sparked by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Well done London.
— David Collier (@mishtal) November 26, 2023
Proud of you.
Proud to have been there.
Proud to stand with you against antisemitism.
Something to tell our children. A truly historic turnout.
100,000. Or if we do maths the way the PSC do each week. 4 million at least. pic.twitter.com/ZTp9FWUWVj
The event was not without controversy, as former leader of the far-right English Defence League, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, was detained by the police. Yaxley-Lennon was among the crowds of counter-protesters who clashed with the police during an Armistice Day march earlier this month. He was warned to leave, but refused, leading to his detention. Gideon Falter, the chief executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, expressed his condemnation of the rising antisemitic incidents in the UK since the war began. He also criticized the appalling placards seen at recent protests, including one that showed a Star of David in a bin with a caption stating "please keep the world clean."
The rally aimed to combat these acts of hatred and intolerance. Saturday saw tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marching in demand of a permanent cease-fire in the war. While the majority protested peacefully, 18 people were arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred. The organizers of the rally stressed their opposition to racism, antisemitism, and Islamophobia. The Stop the War coalition, which organized Saturday's rally, aimed to create awareness and promote peace.
However, during an Armistice Day demonstration in London, far-right counter-protesters clashed with police while attempting to attack the march. Sunday's march was praised as the largest gathering of its kind since 1936, when hundreds of thousands of people blocked a planned march by the British Union of Fascists through a Jewish neighborhood. It served as a powerful reminder of the importance of unity, solidarity, and the fight against antisemitism in London and beyond.