Former UK PM Johnson condemns 'anti-Semitic rally' in London

LONDON: Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday condemned the anti-Semitic rally in London and the Hamas massacre of October 7, stressing that they will not succeed in their intent to wipe Israel off the map. A pro-Palestinian rally kicked off in the UK as thousands of people started gathering in central London to show their anger against Israeli aggression in Gaza.

Noting that it has been almost 80 years since the end of World War II, he said that it is shocking to hear such nakedly anti-Semitic chants on the streets of London. Moreover, he thanked the police for keeping people safe and added that more should be done as an ancient hatred is rising again in Europe.

Taking on his social media X, Johnson stated, "Almost 80 years after the end of the Second World War it is shocking to hear nakedly anti-Semitic chants on the streets of London today. There are people who plainly want to ignore the Hamas massacre of October 7. They want to wipe Israel off the map. That is what they were chanting for today. They must not and will not succeed. I thank the police for all their efforts to keep people safe - but we must all do more, because an ancient hatred is rising again in Europe. It must be stamped out."

Almost 80 years after the end of the Second World War it is shocking to hear nakedly anti-Semitic chants on the streets of London today. There are people who plainly want to ignore the Hamas massacre of October 7. They want to wipe Israel off the map. That is what they were…

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) November 11, 2023

Meanwhile, during the rally, as the protesters gathered in huge numbers, Metropolitan Police mobilised 1,850 officers along the route from Hyde Park to the US embassy, anticipating flashpoints as splinter groups could disrupt the march and far-right activists exploit the event that the organizers predict one of Britain's largest-ever protests. The demonstrators marched towards the US Embassy to protest against the superpower's support for Israel.

Tens of thousands of people have marched in London on the past four Saturdays to denounce the rising civilian death toll in Gaza as Israel has bombarded the territory in response to the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attacks on Israel. This Saturday's protest was expected to draw even greater numbers, partly because it became embroiled in a tense political debate over whether it should take place at all, The New York Times reported.

The London police said in a statement that "officers have faced aggression from counterprotesters who are in the area in significant numbers." It added that the protesters were not one cohesive group and that they "confronted and threw missiles at officers who tried to engage with them" as they moved towards other parts of the city, including Chinatown.

"Officers are keeping track of them as they do," the police said, adding that if their intention was to confront the main pro-Palestinian protest, then "we will use all the powers and tactics available to us to prevent that from happening." About 2,000 protesters marched east on 59th Street from Columbus Circle, placing stickers with messages like "Zionism is terrorism" and "Israel is committing genocide in Gaza" on the Dior store's windows on 5th Avenue.