15,000 protestors converge on London from all over the UK in support of Palestine

The 2023 Al-Quds Day March and Rally took place on Sunday 16 April 2023.  Record numbers attended the annual event.  Protestors congregated at the Home Office before marching to Downing Street, where a rally was held, and was addressed by speakers from different faith, non-faith and political backgrounds[1].

Speakers took the podium to denounce the Israeli apartheid system and the ongoing oppression of the Palestinians.

A group of some 20 Zionists held a small counter-rally.  One Zionist counter-protestor was arrested.

Chair of Islamic Human Rights Commission (which is one of the organisers of the event), Massoud Shadjareh said:

“Unlike 40 years ago, when Al-Quds Day began, today it is quite clear that we can and will see the end of the Israeli regime and its brutality.  The only question is when.”

For more information, photos and video footage please contact the Press Office on +44 20 8904 4222 (UK office hours), or +44 7958522196, or email media@ihrc.org.

Notes to editors:

[1] The speakers at the rally included:

1. Huda Ammouri, co-founder of Palestine Action
2. Rev Dr Stephen Sizer, a retired priest in the Church of England and chair of both the Peacemaker Trust, and of the Convivencia Alliance, a multifaith coalition of Christian, Jewish and Muslim groups
3. Ahammed Hussain, an activist with the Muslim Public Affairs Committee (MPAC)
4. Delia Mattis, a leading Black Lives Matter activist
5. Ali Erkaslan, an organiser with the Revolutionary Communist Group
6. Massoud Shadjerah, a founding member of the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), the Convivencia Alliance and an organiser of the UK International Quds Day
7. Les Levidow, a member and organiser of Jewish Network for Palestine and The Convivencia Alliance
8. Lowkey, the renowned performer, broadcaster and activist
9. Luwezi Kinshasa, the Coordinator of International Campaign for Hands Off Uhuru! Hands Off Africa!
10. Chris Williamson, a former MP, who was suspended from the Labour Party for supporting Palestine
11. Jon Maxted, a housing campaigner, trade unionist and Workers Party representative from Brighton
12. Rabbi Ahron Cohen, a Rabbi, who is part of Neturei Karta, a religious group of Haredi Jews who oppose Zionism
13. Mick Napier, from the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Committee
14. Farrah Koutteineh, a Palestinian originally from and raised in Al-Quds, from one of the last Palestinian families in the old city of Jerusalem. She is also the founder of KEY48
15. Sulaiman Ghani, and Imam and activist from South London