Outside Broadcasting House, the rally – organised by anti-racism group Campaign Against Antisemitism – also heard speaker Josh Howie call for the government to “defund the BBC”.
He said: “The BBC is a danger to Jews. The BBC are no longer arbiters of truth. Here is a fact for you, BBC. Hamas are terrorists. Hamas started a war. There is no famine. There is no genocide.”
Leading the march were the Chief Rabbi, CAA Chief Executive Gideon Falter, Board of Deputies President Phil Rosenberg, Conservative peer Michael Gove, shadow attorney general David Wolfson, actress Louisa Clein and social media influencer Dov Forman.
Also addressing the crowd in Parliament Square, Falter said: “I see friends who have come, friends of all faiths and none, of all backgrounds from all over the United Kingdom who stand here today united against antisemitism. You've braved a Tube strike, you've braved a government emergency alert, there's even a lunar eclipse. But at least the sun shines on the righteous.”
The Chief Rabbi told the JC at the start of the event: “It is so sad, so tragic that it is necessary for us to do this, but just have a look at all the thousands of people. We've got an incredible Jewish community and what is very significant is we've got lots of non-Jewish friends who have come out in great numbers here today.
"So I'm so impressed by the resilience and the strength and the fortitude of our community at this time.”
Gove said: “I think it's absolutely vital that people from every background stand with the Jewish community at this time. There's been an unprecedented level of hatred and prejudice directed towards the Jewish community, both on our streets and online. And we need to send a clear message that we're against prejudice and against hate and in favour of inclusivity and tolerance.
"And it's particularly important that we do so because history tells us that the health and safety of the Jewish community is invariably aligned to how strong, free and warm a society is.”
Latest figures from CST revealed 1,521 antisemitic incidents in the UK between January and June 2025, the second-highest number of anti-Jewish hate incidents ever recorded by CST. The highest figure was during the first six months of 2024, which saw 2,019 antisemitic incidents.
Attacks have included a Jewish chaplain and his family being hounded off a university campus, and in the last month alone, a Chabad rabbi had a swastika graffitied onto his home and faeces were smeared onto the wall of a synagogue in north London.
Speaking shortly before the march, Gideon Falter, chief executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “Something’s happening in our country. Civil discourse and reasoned debate are giving way to sectarianism and extremism. Stages are given to those who profess hatred for our country and those who appear to glorify terrorism. Stages are being taken away from those who don’t conform. Jews are being chased down the street, Jews are being targeted for racist pranks, Jews are being harassed on public transport, Jews are being targeted on campus….These extremists are bullies and the only way to defeat the bullying is to stand up for yourself, to stand up to extremism and antisemitism.”
Other speakers were shadow home secretary Chris Philp, deputy leader of Reform UK Richard Tice and former editor of the JC and author Jake Wallis Simons. Student Tali Smus also addressed the crowd, telling them about the antisemitism she had experienced on campus.
The marchers met at Hallam Street, and made a short stop outside the BBC before heading on to the Cenotaph and ending at Parliament Square.
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Carrying placards, union jacks and Israeli flags, the Jewish community was joined by large numbers from Christian Action Against Antisemitism, as well as groups from the UK Iranian community.
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While marching for a serious cause, the atmosphere was at times carnival-like, as some marchers sang Israeli songs as they walked. There were also calls from speakers to bring home the hostages, with 48 remaining in Gaza after more than 700 days.
