Thousands of demonstrators gathered outside Parliament in London on Wednesday, June 4, for the Red Line for Palestine protest, demanding a full arms embargo and sanctions against Israel. The protest was organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and took place during Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons.

Protesters, dressed in red, formed a human chain encircling Parliament, chanting slogans such as "Stop arming Israel" and "Full embargo now", wrapping Parliament with long red fabric. A large banner reading "Starving children is a red line" was displayed. Several MPs and celebrities joined the demonstration, including British actor Khalid Abdalla and MP John McDonnell, who called the protest "fundamentally important".

Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed Parliament during the protest, describing Israel's military actions as "appalling, counterproductive, and intolerable". Although he stated that Britain had imposed sanctions, suspended free trade negotiations, and was considering further measures, this could not hide the government's complicity in US-Israeli genocide in Gaza, and Starmer's covering over Britain's supplying arms to Israel.

The demonstration lasted for several hours and throughout Starmer's entire speech to Parliament, with protesters forming a cordon stretching from Parliament to Westminster Bridge and back. Organisers emphasised that their "red line" symbolised the need for the government to establish clear boundaries regarding Israel's actions in Gaza.

The protest took place amid mounting international criticism of Israel's military offensive in Gaza, which has resulted in over 54,000 Palestinian deaths since October 2023. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

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