Thousands rally outside Downing Street demanding end to UK arms sales to Israel

Thousands of demonstrators gathered outside 10 Downing Street on Friday under the banner “Emergency Protest – Stop Arming Israel – Words Are Not Enough,” demanding the UK government halt arms exports to Israel and take concrete action in response to the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza.

The protest, coordinated by several pro-Palestinian groups including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), comes in the wake of what has been described as the UK’s strongest official condemnation of Israeli actions to date.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy labelled Israel’s assault on Gaza “egregious” and the suffering of Palestinians “abominable.”

But for demonstrators and activists on the ground, words are not enough. They were carrying banners reading “Children are being killed in Gaza,” “Schools and hospitals are being bombed,” and “Stop arming Israel.”

‘Starmer has lost this country on the question of Palestine’

“Starmer has lost this country on the question of Palestine,” said John Rees, a British political activist, academic and journalist, addressing the crowd.

“Before this statement was issued, I knew that Starmer was a hypocrite. I knew that Lammy was a liar, and after this statement is issued, I still think that Starmer is a hypocrite, but Lammy is a liar. We demand that they turn those words into action. Stop arming Israel. They would not have said those words, they would not have had a complete collapse of their position unless we had stayed on the streets week after week, month after month, and year after year. Now in defense of Palestine, the question now is, can we do more?”

The PSC echoed that sentiment, stating: “We must demand our government take immediate action to end complicity in Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people.”

Since October 2023, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed and tens of thousands more wounded in Gaza, according to Gaza health authorities.

Despite this, campaigners say the UK has continued to approve arms export licenses, including for components used in US-made F-35 fighter jets deployed by Israel.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who also attended the rally, underscored what many see as a glaring contradiction between government rhetoric and policy.

Supply of weapons to Israel went up

In September 2024, following an internal review, the British government announced a partial suspension of 30 out of 350 active arms export licenses to Israel. The suspended licenses included components for drones, military aircraft, and ground targeting systems, but excluded F-35 fighter jet parts.

“Since the suspension of the 30 arms licenses some time ago, supply of weapons to Israel actually went up, not down under the other licenses,” Corbyn said. “We demand the truth — and we demand justice for the Palestinian people.”

Corbyn is set to submit a Gaza (Independent Public Inquiry) Bill in the House of Commons on June 4, with a speech lasting up to 10 minutes. The bill seeks to establish a formal investigation into UK complicity in potential war crimes in Gaza.

Despite the recent government statements, critics argue the UK’s position remains driven by political calculus rather than a genuine policy shift.

Analysts suggest the shift in tone may be influenced by growing legal pressure.

Campaigners have taken the government to court, accusing it of breaching domestic and international law by supplying arms that could be used in violations of international humanitarian law, including genocide.

While the case focuses primarily on the export of parts for F-35 fighter jets, it also demands an immediate suspension of all arms export licenses to Israel, citing the “clear risk” that UK-made components are facilitating war crimes.

As the rally ended, many demonstrators vowed to continue their campaign.