Kurds and Jews in London: From a Protest Rally to a Political and Humanitarian Message Against Hatred, Extremism, and Oppression
On Sunday, 10 May 2026, London witnessed one of the most important rallies of the British Jewish community against the growing wave of antisemitism. Thousands of British Jews, civil society activists, religious leaders, political figures, and supporters of oppressed communities gathered outside Downing Street to speak with one voice against antisemitism, security threats, extremism, and hate speech.
The rally was held under the title “Standing Strong: Extinguish Antisemitism”, with the main slogan “Britain Stands with British Jews.” This slogan emphasised that Britain must not leave its Jewish community alone in the face of hatred, street attacks, political threats, and the growing atmosphere of insecurity. According to reports, the number of participants in the rally was estimated at around 20,000.
This gathering was organised in response to the increase in attacks, threats, and the deeply concerning atmosphere facing the British Jewish community, including the recent attack on two Jewish men in Golders Green, London. For this reason, the rally was not merely an ordinary protest, but became a platform for serious security, political, and social demands.
Several major Jewish and allied organisations, including the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Jewish Leadership Council, Campaign Against Antisemitism, the Office of the Chief Rabbi, the Union of Jewish Students, the Jewish Kurdish Network, and a number of other organisations, were among the organisers and supporters of the event. The presence of the Jewish Kurdish Network among the organisers was particularly significant, because it showed that the bond between Jews and Kurds is not limited to historical and cultural sentiment, but is also growing at an organisational, civil, and political level.
Political leaders from different British parties also attended and addressed the rally, including Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party; Pat McFadden from the Labour Party; Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats; and Richard Tice from Reform UK. Adrian Cohen, a Jewish friend and supporter of the Kurdish nation, also spoke at the rally and emphasised the importance of solidarity between Jews and Kurds.
One of the most significant moments of the rally was the speech by Sir Ephraim Mirvis, the Chief Rabbi of Britain. In a firm tone, he called on the British government to expel the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran and to ban the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. He said: “Why has the Iranian ambassador not been expelled? Expel him now. Ban the IRGC now.”
These remarks showed that the concerns of the British Jewish community are not limited to street attacks or domestic hate speech, but are also connected to the role of the Islamic Republic of Iran, extremist networks, and transnational threats. In my view, the fight against antisemitism will not be complete without confronting its ideological, political, and security sources.
As Secretary-General of the Kurdistan Independence Party, I attended this rally together with a number of members of the Kurdistan Independence Party. By carrying and raising the Kurdistan flag, we expressed our support for the British Jewish community and emphasised the need to strengthen the friendly, political, and historical relations between the Kurdish and Jewish peoples.
The presence of Kurds with Kurdistan flags at this rally was visible and meaningful. The raising of the Kurdistan flag among the crowd sent a clear message of solidarity from the Kurdish nation with the Jewish people, and reflected our shared opposition to antisemitism, hate speech, extremism, and the repressive policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The importance of the Kurdish presence at this rally was not only in the number of participants or in the raising of the Kurdistan flag. This presence carried a deeper political and humanitarian message. Kurds and Jews, each through their own historical experience, have faced displacement, denial of identity, oppression, security threats, and the struggle to preserve their national existence. This shared historical memory has created a foundation for mutual understanding and political solidarity between the two nations.
From this perspective, our presence at the anti-antisemitism rally in London was not only an expression of support for the Jewish community; it was also a clear stance against all forms of organised hatred, extremism, terrorism, and the oppression of nations. The Kurdish nation, which has itself faced decades of denial, massacres, forced displacement, political repression, and deprivation of the right to self-determination, deeply understands the pain of peoples who struggle for security, freedom, and survival.
During the rally, the flags of Israel, Britain, and Kurdistan were seen side by side. This scene was a symbolic image of an alliance of nations and communities standing against extremism, antisemitism, and the repressive policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In such an atmosphere, the Kurdistan flag was not merely a national symbol; it was a sign of the Kurdish nation’s aspiration for freedom, independence, and the right to self-determination.
I believe that the fight against antisemitism is not only a Jewish issue, just as the fight against the oppression of Kurds is not only a Kurdish issue. Wherever a nation is targeted with hatred, threats, and exclusion because of its identity, the silence of others only strengthens the oppressor. Therefore, solidarity among oppressed nations is not a ceremonial choice, but a political and moral necessity.
From an analytical perspective, this rally carried several important messages. First, the British Jewish community no longer wants to remain a silent victim in the face of rising antisemitism; it is demanding practical action from the British government and society. Second, the issue of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the role of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has increasingly become a public and security concern within British politics. Third, the presence of Kurds with the Kurdistan flag showed that the Kurdish-Jewish relationship can be presented in Europe and Britain as a new form of political, humanitarian, and moral cooperation.
On the other hand, the presence of the Kurdistan Independence Party at this rally was part of our effort to internationalise the cause of Kurdistan and connect it with global discourses on freedom, security, the fight against extremism, and the right to self-determination. Such a presence can help create the foundations for expanding political relations between Kurds, Jews, and other communities that defend freedom.
At this rally, we emphasised that just as the Jewish people have the right to live in security, freedom, and peace, the Kurdish nation also has the right to freedom, independence, and self-determination. This message, in the heart of London and in front of one of Britain’s most important centres of political power, carried a meaning beyond a simple slogan. It was a reminder that no nation should remain a victim of historical injustice.
Ultimately, the major anti-antisemitism rally in London was not just a daily news event, but an event with deeper political meaning. It showed that the struggle against antisemitism, extremism, terrorism, and oppression is a shared struggle among all nations that fight for freedom, security, dignity, and independence.
The active presence of Kurds with the Kurdistan flag at this rally carried a clear and lasting message: the Kurdish nation stands with the Jewish people, just as both nations deserve a future based on freedom, security, mutual respect, solidarity, and independence.