Hundreds of protesters gathered in London on Tuesday to demonstrate against the war in Gaza, despite calls from U.K. government officials to cancel the rallies. Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the protests as "un-British" because they coincided with the second anniversary of Hamas-led attacks on Israel.

The protests, which included many university students, took place in several cities across the U.K. At King's College London, demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and chanted slogans demanding a free Palestine while denouncing Israel as a terrorist state. A small contingent of police monitored the event, which attracted a few hundred participants, including students on their afternoon break.

Vincent Ge, a second-year computer science student, expressed support for the protesters, stating, "I think all these people have plenty of reasons to protest. Telling someone to not fight for what they believe in is silly." He added that the U.K. is built on diverse cultures and questioned Starmer's definition of what it means to be un-British.

Pro-Palestinian rallies have drawn thousands in the past, particularly in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has reportedly resulted in over 67,000 Palestinian deaths according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The protests have intensified following a recent terror attack on a synagogue in Manchester, where two Jewish men were killed. The attack, carried out by Jihad Al-Shamie, a British man of Syrian descent, has sparked discussions about rising antisemitism in the U.K.

The British government has faced criticism for its handling of antisemitism, with reports indicating over 1,500 antisemitic incidents recorded in the first half of 2025. Following the Manchester attack, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy was jeered at a vigil for the victims, with some attendees accusing the government of failing to protect the Jewish community.

In response to the protests, the government is considering granting police additional powers to manage demonstrations that have led to disorder. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood urged protesters to allow the Jewish community time to grieve, labeling continued protests as un-British. Despite these calls, a planned march in London went ahead, resulting in nearly 500 arrests related to support for Palestine Action, a group banned by the U.K. government.

Starmer has publicly denounced the protests, stating that the acceptance of antisemitism has permeated society and that the protests do not reflect British values. He emphasized that it is un-British to show such little respect for others.

Various rallies and vigils were organized across the U.K. on Tuesday, including one at Glasgow University, which aimed to honor Palestinian resistance. Isaac Zarfati, executive director of StandWithUs UK, criticized the protests for inciting hatred and called for stricter actions against those who support terrorism.

At the London rally, some participants concealed their identities and declined to speak with the media. However, Marc Etkind, a son of a Holocaust survivor, stood out in the crowd. He expressed his discontent with the government's discouragement of protests, stating, "I just do not share that logic. I feel for people who die on any side in any war. What we need to do is to stop wars."

Colin Davis, a psychology professor at the University of Bristol, criticized the government's rhetoric, arguing that it is irresponsible to label protests as un-British. He noted that protest has a long history in the U.K. and that the government's approach may be an attempt to control the narrative amid shifting public opinion. A recent survey indicated that about a third of Britons have no sympathy for Israel two years into the ongoing conflict in Gaza.