Jewish and pro-Israel students from King’s College London (KCL) staged a counter-protest during a pro-Palestinian walkout, taking place outside Strand campus on 7 October 2024 after 12:30 pm.
There was tension between the two groups with shouts and insults coming from both sides, but no physical violence. Members of security stood between the protesters.
The pro-Palestine walkout, organised by KCL Students for Justice for Palestine (KCL SJP) and UCL Stands For Justice among other organisations, gathered over 100 supporters. Counter-protesters numbered around a dozen.
Today, 7 October, marks one year since a Hamas-led attack on Israeli territory, during which some 1,200 were killed and 250 hostages were taken to Gaza, according to Israeli figures. The attacks by Hamas triggered a war with Israel, in which over 41,000 Palestinians have been killed, including almost 11,300 children, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health.
The chosen date for the walkout sparked varying responses from the student community. According to an Instagram post by KCL SJP announcing the walk-out and rally, the date of 7 October was chosen to “mark one year of a genocide”. Many Jewish and pro-Israel students, on the other hand, felt the chosen date was an attempt at provocation. A spokesperson from KCL Jewish Society, said, “They know what today is, they know what happened today last year.”
Ilan Fellous, a Physics student at King’s who is also Jewish, joined the pro-Israel demonstration despite not being “particularly close to the cause.”
He said: “I believe they [the pro-Palestine side] have the freedom to protest… I just find it very disrespectful that they’re doing it on 7 October.”
A spokesperson for KCL SJP said: “The walk out had to be today because for over a year, we have been told that October 7th justifies everything… The truth is that October 7th did change everything, because it showed all of us just how little they worth Palestinian life.” They continued, “We gather today to mourn the loss of our own KcL alumni, to honour all the lives which have been lost in Gaza, the West Bank, and now in Lebanon too.”
Despite the controversy relating to the date, the walkout garnered the support of many students. One protester told Roar, “Today is October 7th and after the deadly massacre [of Israeli citizens], began an onslaught in Gaza and so after a year of genocide, we’re showing support and we say ceasefire now.”
According to a spokesperson from KCL Jewish Society, however, today’s walkout caused distress to Jewish students and raised questions about campus safety. At the beginning of this year, Roar published Muslim and Jewish students’ perspectives of life on campus after the Israel-Hamas war started.
A ‘Vigil for Peace’ was also held from 12:10 in the Safra Lecture theatre. Hosted by King’s Chaplaincy – a multi-faith organisation offering support for King’s students – the vigil’s aim was “to remember those who have died in Israel and Gaza and in all places of warfare”. The event was attended by around 30 students, many of whom could be seen at the counter-protest.
Editor’s note: This article was updated at 18:48 to include a comment by KCL SJP.
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