Tower Bridge Blocked as Pro-Palestinian Protesters Mark Second Anniversary of October 7 Attacks

Image: Jihad Watch

London’s iconic Tower Bridge was brought to a standstill this evening as large crowds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered to mark the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks. The protests, filled with chants, banners, and flares, coincided with similar demonstrations across the capital, underscoring ongoing tensions surrounding the Gaza conflict.

The protestors, waving Palestinian flags and carrying signs bearing slogans such as “Get your hands off Palestine” and “Zionism is a crime,” filled the bridge and nearby streets. Many lit colorful smoke flares as they chanted in unison, demanding justice for Palestinians and calling for an end to what they described as Israeli aggression in Gaza.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of university students participated in what was called the “Inter-University March.” The coordinated demonstration saw students from institutions including King’s College London (KCL) and the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) marching through central London. Many wore keffiyehs and carried placards condemning Israel’s military actions and Western support for the war.

The marches came despite appeals from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who had urged demonstrators to refrain from what he termed “un-British” protests coinciding with the anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, in which around 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 people were taken hostage.

In the two years since those attacks, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has left devastating consequences. According to Gaza’s health authorities, approximately 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing conflict. A United Nations Commission of Inquiry released on September 16 concluded that Israel has committed acts amounting to genocide in Gaza — a finding that has intensified international debate and fueled protests worldwide.

Today’s march in London unfolded amid renewed domestic unease following a terror attack outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, where 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie killed two men. The attack has sparked calls for calm and increased security across Jewish and Muslim communities in the UK.

As night fell, a smaller group of activists continued their demonstration by blocking Tower Bridge before staging a static protest near Downing Street, the Prime Minister’s official residence. Chants of “From the river to the sea” echoed through the streets, symbolizing the demonstrators’ demand for Palestinian liberation and an end to the war.

The evening’s events highlight how the conflict in Gaza continues to reverberate far beyond the Middle East — stirring passionate activism, political tension, and deep divisions across British society two years after the October 7 attacks.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)