Nearly two years after October 7, tens of thousands rally in London denouncing antisemitism, blasting the BBC, and demanding justice for Israel’s hostages.
Nearly 70,000 people flooded central London today in a defiant show of solidarity with Britain’s Jewish community, declaring a simple but urgent message: “Enough is enough.”
The rally, organised by the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA), comes as antisemitism in the UK reaches alarming levels since the October 7 massacre and the Israel-Gaza war.
From the stage in Parliament Square, Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis issued a stark warning:
“Antisemitism is rife throughout the UK. You will see it, hear it, and feel it.”
Citing a government-backed report that found anti-Jewish prejudice has become “normalised in middle-class Britain,” Mirvis urged the nation to “wake up” to the growing menace.
Outside Broadcasting House, comedian Josh Howie electrified the crowd with a direct attack on the state broadcaster:
“The BBC is a danger to Jews. They are no longer arbiters of truth. Hamas are terrorists. Hamas started a war. There is no famine. There is no genocide.”
High-profile figures led the march, including Mirvis, CAA chief Gideon Falter, Board of Deputies president Phil Rosenberg, senior Conservative Michael Gove, Labour’s David Wolfson, actress Louisa Clein, and social media activist Dov Forman.
Falter told the sea of demonstrators:
“I see friends of all faiths and none… united against antisemitism. You’ve braved a Tube strike, a government emergency alert, even a lunar eclipse. But at least the sun shines on the righteous.”
Despite the festive energy, the backdrop was grim. The Community Security Trust (CST) logged 1,521 antisemitic incidents in the first half of 2025, the second-highest figure ever. Recent attacks include a rabbi’s home defaced with a swastika, faeces smeared on a synagogue wall, and a Jewish chaplain’s family forced off a university campus.
Rally cries for the 48 Israeli hostages still languishing in Gaza after more than 700 days echoed through the streets, reminding all that the war’s human cost is still unresolved.
The Chief Rabbi summed up the bittersweet spirit of the day:
“It is tragic that such a march is necessary — but deeply moving to see Jews and non-Jews alike standing shoulder to shoulder against hatred.”
