WHITEHALL — Thousands of people gathered outside Downing Street in Whitehall for the Standing Strong: Extinguish Antisemitism rally to protest an increase in antisemitic hate crimes and violence. The event was backed by more than 30 Jewish groups and addressed by Conservative and Liberal Democrat party leaders alongside Labour and Reform representatives.

The crowd, studded with Israeli and Union Jack flags and "Where is Keir?" placards, passed through metal detectors and encountered a visible security presence around Whitehall. The rally followed the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green on 29 April. Suspected terrorist Essa Suleiman has been charged with attempted murder in relation to the stabbings. After the north London attack, the UK's terrorism threat level was raised to "severe" by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, indicating an attack was considered highly likely. In April, the number of antisemitic hate crimes in London reached its highest level in two years, according to data from the Metropolitan police, which committed to deploying 100 extra officers to protect Jewish communities.

Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice were mostly greeted with cheers and applause, while Labour's Pat McFadden and the Liberal Democrats' Ed Davey were met with boos and shouts of "Where is Starmer?"

Badenoch drew parallels between the 7 October 2023 attack in Israel and the kidnapping of schoolgirls in Nigeria in 2014. "I'm not here to do politics today," she said. "I am most worried about the growth of extremism and terror around the world."

Tice accused Labour of an absence of courage and leadership. "The scourge of antisemitism has been allowed to flourish in our country," he said.

Lionel Blumenthal, 91, travelled from Golders Green to attend the rally. "I'm angry and horrified, this is not the country I grew up in, I no longer feel safe," he said. "It means I have to be that much more cautious than I was before, I can't take for granted my security, my safety," he added. Blumenthal also said: "I think it's important that all sections of the British community and particularly of the politicians should come together and denounce antisemitism."

Eliza Black, another attendee, said: "We're coming here because there was a stabbing two weeks ago, it doesn't really matter who is and who isn't invited." She added: "It's about remembering why we're here today."

British Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Hindu and Zoroastrian religious leaders signed an open letter describing antisemitism as "a problem for all of us to fix." A separate letter with more than 2,000 signatories called on organisers to withdraw an invitation to Nigel Farage and ensure the event reflected values of inclusion and solidarity. Organisers defended the decision to invite Farage, citing Reform's increased presence in parliament and broad support in fighting antisemitism. The Green party leader Zack Polanski was not invited to the rally due to allegations he had not done enough to root out antisemitism from his party.