Andy Burnham Confronted by Mass London Protest Over Gaza

Thousands of people gathered in London on 19 July to demand that new Labour Prime Minister Andy Burnham take a hard line on Israel's war in Gaza. Demonstrators marched from Russell Square to Whitehall, calling for an immediate arms embargo on Israel, a permanent cease‑fire and sanctions against the Israeli government. Palestinian ambassador Husam Zomlot, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and other pro‑Palestine figures addressed the crowd, with Corbyn posting on X: “We are not disappearing, we are not going away, and we will never stop campaigning for the liberation of Palestine.”

Burnham, who apologized for Labour’s handling of the Gaza conflict and said the party “didn’t get it right”, pledged to “strengthen our approach” and hinted at tougher measures, sparking criticism from major UK Jewish organisations that accused him of antisemitic rhetoric. The Metropolitan Police imposed strict Public Order Act conditions on the march, limiting routes and assembly times to avoid disruption. The protest reflects mounting public pressure on the incoming government to break perceived complicity in the Gaza genocide and to adopt a more robust policy toward Israel.