In a show of solidarity following an unprecedented attack by Hamas, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has attended a prayer service for Israel. The attack, which has left a devastating impact on the region, prompted pro-Palestinian protesters to gather outside the Israeli embassy in London.

Earlier in Westminster, hundreds of individuals attended a Jewish community vigil for Israel, with influential figures like security minister Tom Tugendhat and shadow foreign secretary David Lammy among the speakers.

The demonstration witnessed passionate chants of “let our children go” by the crowd, as organizers estimated a turnout of up to 2,000 people. Many attendees held photos of Noa Argamani, an Israeli woman who was kidnapped by Hamas militants.

Meanwhile, in west London, an estimated 5,000 people gathered near the Israeli embassy in Kensington.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign, one of the groups behind the demonstration, stated, “The offensive launched from Gaza can only be understood in the context of Israel’s ongoing, decades-long military occupation and colonization of Palestinian land and imposition of a system of oppression that meets the legal definition of apartheid. This is the context in which we need to understand the cycle of violence.”

In response to the escalating tensions, Home Secretary Suella Braverman joined Metropolitan Police officers on a patrol in Golders Green, an area with a prominent Jewish population. This action follows an incident where a kosher restaurant had its window smashed, cash register stolen, and “Free Palestine” graffitied on a nearby railway bridge. The British Transport Police is investigating the incident as a potential hate crime, and local authorities have condemned it as a deliberate attempt to intimidate the Jewish community.

Ms. Braverman has called for increased police patrols across England and Wales to prevent the exploitation of Middle East unrest as an excuse to incite hatred against British Jewish communities. She expressed solidarity with Israel, stating, “The barbaric attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists… is truly sickening. The UK stands unequivocally with Israel in her fight against this evil.”

Communities minister Lee Rowley has urged protesters not to glorify Hamas’s attack on Israel, highlighting that Hamas is recognized as a terrorist organization in the UK. While acknowledging the right to protest, he emphasized that glorifying terrorism is not protected by that right.

The UK government has strongly condemned any attempts to threaten or attack Jewish communities in Britain, describing such actions as “utterly despicable.”