Thousands of people protest against Iran war in London
Thousands of protesters marched in London on Saturday, calling for an end to US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
The Metropolitan Police said 5,000 to 6,000 people took part in the march, and demonstrators chanted “Stop the bombing now, now, now”.
This came as US President Donald Trump said Iran had been “beaten to hell” and warned the country would be “hit hard today”. Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian said demands for unconditional surrender were “a dream that should be taken to their graves.”
However, he apologized for attacks on neighboring countries in an attempt to calm regional anger over Iran’s attacks on the Gulf.
Action groups including the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), Stop the War, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, British Muslim Association, British Palestine Forum and Friends of Al-Aqsa Mosque marched to the US embassy in Vauxhall on Saturday afternoon.
The Met, which assigned officers to accompany the demonstration, had previously announced that they had imposed conditions requiring protesters to stay on designated routes and finish their post-march rallies by 17.00. Dozens of police vans were stationed around Millbank and large numbers of officers patrolled the road.
Speaking to protesters in central London, former Labor MP Zarah Sultana called for an end to attacks on Iran and said “we will not be ignored again”.
Recalling the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, he told the crowd: “We were told then that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. We were told that war would bring peace and democracy.”
“We were told that the war would protect Iraqis and the world, but the reality was very different.”
Speaking outside the US embassy, your party’s Coventry South MP added: “Baghdad’s children deserve to grow up. And when we marched against the Iraq war 23 years ago, we were ignored.”
“We will not be ignored again, because history has proven them right, and today we raise our voices for peace, justice and a world where governments learn from the past.”
Protesters marched from Millbank near Westminster to outside the US embassy in Vauxhall. Some demonstrators shouted “Donald Trump terrorist” through a microphone on a stage set up outside the embassy; “Stop bombing Iran”; and: “Keir Starmer, shame on you”.
The crowd was heard chanting: “From Iran Bombing children in Palestine is a crime.” They held banners reading “Stop Trump’s Wars” and “Stop the war with Iran” as well as Iranian and Palestinian flags. Some also carried portraits of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, who was killed in the opening attack of the war last Saturday.
In a statement read to protesters, former Labor leader and now independent MP Jeremy Corbyn warned: “Do not drag Britain into another illegal war.”
He said: “Hundreds of thousands of us protested against the illegal invasion of Iraq in 2003 and were ignored, but today we are here to say loud and clear: do not drag Britain into another illegal war.”
He added: “Forever war is not a game. It is as real as its human consequences, and the United States and Israel must be held accountable for the reward they receive.”
During the protest, many people holding Israeli flags stood next to Millbank. Many protesters were heard shouting “Shame on you” and “Murderers” at people holding Israeli flags.
A few people holding flags in their hands said “You are wrong” and “You are in denial” to the march participants.
A protester demonstrating in central London said: “The public is not for war.”
Asked why he attended the protest at Millbank, Martin Perry, 58, from Northampton, said: “Because actions against Iran are against international law and this is an example of decisions taken by America and Israel that destroy international law.”
He added: “I’m here today to signal to Keir Starmer that the public is not in favor of war against Iran and does not want our forces to engage in an illegal war.”
Daniela Costa, a 30-year-old Brazilian student living in London, said: “I am Brazilian. I came here to show solidarity to both Iran and Palestine, as well as Cuba and Venezuela.”
“I feel like we can’t live like it’s business as usual right now.
“I expect this protest to show the UK government that it does not have the public support to join the war in any way, such as supplying arms to the US or providing bases such as military bases.”
The Metropolitan Police said: “The Hands Off Iran protest reached the US Embassy where we saw some protesters dispersed.
“A woman in her 60s was arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred in relation to the banner.”
Organizers of the demonstration said a march “against the far right” would be held in central London on March 28.
