Thousands march against antisemitism in London as Tommy Robinson arrested - latest
Crowds gathered to show solidarity with the Jewish community in the UK as more hostages released from Hamas captivity
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Your support makes all the difference.Tens of thousands of people attended a march against antisemitism in London on Sunday amid fears about rising antisemitic incidents sparked by the crisis in the Middle East.
The event was held the day after the latest in a series of pro-Palestinian protests in the capital called again for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Former prime minister Boris Johnson was among those attending and compared antisemitism with “an old spore of a virus”.
Tommy Robinson was arrested at the march after organisers had raised concerns and police warned the far-right was “not welcome”.
There was only one other arrest at the event, which was organised by the charity Campaign Against Antisemitism.
It came as the Israeli military said that 14 Israelis and three foreign nationals had been released from captivity in Gaza, on the third day of a four-day truce.
The father of a young Irish-Israeli girl released by Hamas on Saturday has said she is doing “better than expected”, and has thanked the public for their support. Thomas Hand had feared his daughter Emily had been killed in the Hamas attacks but they were reunited at the weekend
UK Jewish group says they won’t attend march
The UK Jewish group Na’amod have said in a statement that they will not attend the march against anti-semitism taking place on Saturday.
“It’s clear from the event description that CAA have organised this march in response to huge weekly ceasefire demonstrations in London.
“Pitting Jewish safety against Palestinian freedom doesn’t make Jews safer; it makes fighting antisemitism harder.”
Banners read ‘United Kingdom united against Antisemitism’ and ‘Zero tolerance for antisemites'
Banners read ‘United Kingdom united against antisemitism’ and ‘Zero tolerance for antisemites’ as many well-known British figures attended.
The march is expected to last ninety minutes and started at 1.30pm where a large group gathered outside the Royal Courts of Justice.
EDL founder, Tommy Robinson, was escorted away by police after trying to join the march.
‘Thousands in attendance’ at march
Thousands have attended a march against antisemitism in London, with English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson escorted away by police.
Police later confirmed a 40-year-old man had been arrested close to the Royal Courts of Justice, from where the demonstration began on Sunday afternoon.
Former prime minister Boris Johnson joined thousands of people for the demonstration, a day after pro-Palestinian crowds also gathered in the capital to demand a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict.
March heading towards Parliament Square
Thousands are making their way towards Parliament Square as the March Against Antisemitism has now moved off from the Royal Courts of Justice and is making its way towards its destination.
Thousands attended including former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and TV presenter Vanessa Feltz.
Boris Johnson: ‘Very sad this march has to take place at all'
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has attended a march against antisemitism taking place in London today.
He told GB News it was “very sad this march has to take place at all” before adding antisemitism at previous marches confirmed for him “the absolutely human necessity for Israel to exist”.
He said: “Whatever the rights and wrongs of what Israel has done, or is doing, I think that the antisemitism we have seen in some of the marches around Europe has really confirmed for me the absolutely human necessity for Israel to exist.”
Boris Johnson: antisemitism like ‘old spore of virus that lurks beneath floorboards'
Johnson told GB News: “The reemergence and recrudescence of antisemitism, it’s kind of like an old spore of a virus that lurks beneath the floorboards of Western civilisation, of our collective memory.
“And it comes out from time to time. It’s perennial, it won’t go away and it flares up again. We’re seeing a flareup and we need to call it out.”
Boris Johnson says he is showing solidarity with Jewish people as he attends march against antisemitism in London
Former prime minister Boris Johnson is among those attending the march against antisemitism in London.
The former Prime Minister joined celebrities including Tracy-Ann Oberman, Rachel Riley and Robert Rinder on Sunday afternoon.
‘Heartwarming’ European Jewish Congress praise march against antisemitism in London
Thousands of activists marching against antisemitism have been hailed by the European Jewish Congress which aims to unite 2.5million Jewish people across Europe.
The group posted a video to X showing a mass of supporters waiving Israeli flags and holding up posters of people still being held hostage by Hamas.
The organisation added: “Such inspiring scenes in London today as thousands march to stand in solidarity with the Jewish community, in the wake of an alarming rise of antisemitism.”
‘This is the real Britain’ Crowd estimated to be 105,000 people strong in Parliament Square
Thousands of people have gathered inside Parliament Square chanting “Bring Them Home” in reference to people still being held hostage by Hamas.
The first speaker said Saturday’s march was “the largest gathering against antisemitism since 1936” the Battle of Cable Street - where thousands clashed with police protecting a march from the British Union of Fascists in east London.
He thanked protesters for continuing this “proud” tradition and estimated the crowd as 105,000 strong with the protest snaking back to Whitehall 2km in length.
He led a chant of “Act against hate before it’s too late” before silence fell over the protest. He said the crowd were lighting a beacon of solidarity before quoting Anne Frank which can both “define and defy the darkness of antisemitism”.
Robert Jenrick tells crowd Hamas defeat will be a 'blessing to the world’
Speaking on behalf of the Government, The Minister of State for Immigration said: “Tonight we mourn with those that mourn and grieve
“We pray for the hostages and we demand their immediate release.”
Chants of “Bring them home” break up the speech.
He said: “Know your government will not rest until each and every one of them is back in the loving embrace of their families. We stand with Israel.”
He said he will revoke visas of known antisemites and dispel them from the country.
“There is one fundamental freedom we must reclaim that is the freedom from fear.
“A Britain where Jewish people are afraid is not Britain.”
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