Thousands gathered in London’s Trafalgar Square on Sunday, October 5, 2025, to mark the second anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel—an event that has come to symbolize both enduring pain and ongoing division within British society. The commemoration, organized by the Board of Deputies of British Jews (BDBJ), unfolded just a day after nearly 500 people were arrested in the same square during pro-Palestine protests supporting the proscribed group Palestine Action, setting the stage for a weekend marked by both remembrance and unrest.
Attendees at the London event included survivors, families of hostages, and community leaders, all united in their grief and determination to confront antisemitism. Sharone Lifschitz, a British-Israeli academic and filmmaker whose parents were taken hostage during the October 7, 2023, attacks, addressed the crowd with raw emotion. “We will never forget our loved ones or the horror they suffered and our heart is also with the community in mourning for the recent hate crimes and murders in Manchester. May today be the last time we come [together] as a community asking, demanding, for the war to end,” she said, as reported by BBC News.
The attacks two years ago were the deadliest in Israel’s history, resulting in the deaths of about 1,200 people and the kidnapping of 251 others. The event in London was one of several held across England and around the world, as communities grapple with the ongoing aftermath and the war in Gaza, which has since claimed at least 67,139 lives according to the Gaza health ministry, with more than 90% of homes in the territory damaged or destroyed. Yet, as international journalists remain barred from Gaza, verifying these numbers independently remains a challenge, BBC News noted.
Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, spoke to the crowd, emphasizing the community’s resolve: “We remain determined to confront antisemitism wherever it appears.” Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvi also offered words of remembrance, stating, “Today, we recall the precious lives who were mercilessly taken from our midst on 7 October. We remember all subsequent atrocities since that original day.”
The commemoration came under heightened security, with police checks and an enhanced presence at the square—a response to a terror attack outside Manchester’s Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue just days earlier. That attack, which occurred on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, left two men dead: Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66, both of whom were killed trying to prevent the attacker from entering the synagogue. Three others remain hospitalized. Jihad Al-Shamie, the alleged attacker, was shot dead by police at the scene. The bravery of Daulby and Cravitz was honored at a rally in Manchester on Sunday, where hundreds gathered despite safety concerns, waving Israeli flags and holding banners that read, “Jews standing proud in the face of terrorism. Adrian’s and Melvin’s bravery will never be forgotten. We are not Jews with trembling knees.”
Meanwhile, the events in Trafalgar Square were shadowed by the previous day’s pro-Palestine protests, which saw 492 arrests in total, according to the Metropolitan Police. Those arrested ranged in age from 18 to 89, with 297 remaining in custody by Saturday night. The majority were detained for supporting the proscribed group Palestine Action, including six who unfurled a banner on Westminster Bridge. Others faced charges such as being drunk and disorderly, common assault, and public order offences. The BDBJ was quick to react, stating on X (formerly Twitter), “The crass insensitivity shown by the protesters, more than 400 of whom were arrested for supporting a proscribed terrorist organisation, is an affront to public decency.” The organization called for those arrested under the Terrorism Act to be investigated for stirring up racial hatred.
Organisers Defend Our Juries, however, defended their actions, saying more than 1,000 people had gathered for a mass, silent vigil protesting the proscription of Palestine Action. During the vigil, the names of Palestinian children killed in the conflict were read aloud. Zoe Cohen, a Jewish member of Defend Our Juries, offered a nuanced perspective: “I am grieving after the appalling synagogue attack but also grieving for the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have been murdered, displaced and starved in Gaza. I think it’s possible for us to be compassionate and open our hearts to victims of multiple atrocities at one time.” She continued, “If today’s vigil had been cancelled we would have been letting terror win.”
The protests and vigils drew sharp responses from political leaders and law enforcement. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urged demonstrators to “respect the grief of British Jews,” while Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley warned that “by deliberately choosing to encourage mass law-breaking on this scale, Defend Our Juries are drawing valuable resources away from the communities of London at a time when they are needed most.”
Security concerns extended beyond London. Police forces deployed extra officers to synagogues and Jewish buildings across the country, offering protection and reassurance in the wake of the Manchester attack. Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson of Greater Manchester Police urged would-be protesters to “consider whether this is really the right time.”
Speakers at the London commemoration included Adam Ma’anit, a British-Israeli writer and campaigner whose cousin was taken hostage on October 7, 2023; Shaun Lemel, a survivor of the Nova music festival attack, who said, “We are fighting, not only for Israel, but of the basic right of every person to live [in] peace and safety”; and British-Israeli former hostage Emily Damari, who addressed the crowd via video. Their stories served as powerful reminders of the personal toll exacted by the ongoing conflict.
As the world marked two years since the attacks, diplomatic efforts for peace continued. Last week, US President Donald Trump unveiled a 20-point plan proposing an immediate end to fighting, including the release of 20 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for hundreds of detained Gazans. On Friday, October 3, Hamas agreed to free the hostages, though further details were not disclosed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Saturday that he hoped to announce the release of the remaining hostages from Gaza “in the coming days,” with indirect talks between Israel and Hamas scheduled to begin in Egypt on Monday, October 6.
With military action still ongoing in Gaza, and communities in Britain and beyond grappling with grief, fear, and anger, the anniversary of October 7 served as a stark reminder of the enduring impact of violence—and the urgent need for resolution. For many gathered in Trafalgar Square and Manchester, it was a day to honor the lost, support the survivors, and call, once again, for peace.
