Keir Starmer has urged students not to take part in pro-Palestinian protests today, on what is the second anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel.
In a piece for the Times, the prime minister said it was “un-British” to hold protests on the anniversary of the attack on southern Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
The prime minister wrote: “Time does not diminish the evil we saw that day.”
His comments come as students at London universities are planning a joint march in the capital, while Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bristol and Sheffield are among other cities said to be expecting marches.
Sir Kier said some have used pro-Palestine marches to “attack British Jews for something over which they have absolutely no responsibility”.
“Let me just spell that out for a moment: people on our streets calling for the murder of Jewish people they have never even met, for something they are not responsible for,” he said.
“On the anniversary of the atrocities of October 7, students are once again planning protests.
“This is not who we are as a country. It’s un-British to have so little respect for others. And that’s before some of them decide to start chanting hatred towards Jewish people all over again.”
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Universities UK – the body which represents the university sector – has encouraged students to consider the timing of protests planned for 7 October.
Universities UK head Vivienne Stern said: “While universities must be places where contentious views can be expressed, and while universities have a legal duty to uphold free speech, we urge students and staff participating in protests to remember that 7 October is the anniversary of an atrocious attack on innocent people, and that expressing support for a terrorist organisation is a criminal offence.”
Following the Hamas attack 7 October 2023, the Israel has carried out a huge military offensive on Gaza, killing more than 67,000 Palestinians.
Israel is facing charges of genocide at the Hague for the country’s actions in Gaza, and the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
Leading genocide scholars and the United Nations have both classified Israel’s conduct in Gaza as genocide.
There are believed to be 48 hostages still being held in the Palestinian territory, 20 of whom are thought to be alive.