Revisiting the Cardiff march for Palestine and Iran

Iestyn Tudor

NOTE: Palestine Action has been proscribed as a ‘terrorist organisation’ in the UK. The names of the speakers and those involved in the protests have been removed from this report. There are concerns that more bans will follow — not only for pro-Palestine protesters, but also other non-violent direct action protest groups.

Dozens of protesters marched in Cardiff on June 28th to show support for the citizens of Palestine and Iran. Protesters also expressed anger towards Keir Starmer’s government for funding and arming Israel despite its war crimes in Gaza.

The march was non-violent but loud and disruptive, drawing mixed reactions from pedestrians. The protest took place without incident.

Protesters started gathering on Queen Street at 1PM. Among the many groups present were the Cardiff Stop the War Coalition, Caerdydd Students for Palestine, Cymru Queers for Palestine, and Black Lives Matter Cardiff and Vale.

Protesters carried Palestinian and Iranian flags. They also held an array of banners and signs. One sign read: Babies in Gaza are being killed in a deliberate blockade on baby formula. Another sign — SANCTION ISRAEL NOW. Another: If we don’t end war, war will end us.

First speeches

Protesters were united in their rage at the situation in Gaza. Activists delivered speeches that condemned Israel, as well as the UK and US governments’ involvement in the ongoing Middle East crises. The UK and US are loyal allies to Israel.

Israel has accused Iran of developing nuclear weapons for decades. They recently bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities and killed the regime’s top military officials. Iran has attacked Israel through proxy groups since 1979. Iran also supports Hamas, who govern Gaza. Hamas were responsible for the horrific October 7th attacks against Israel in 2023.

The first speaker at the protest called Israel a threat to the Middle East. They pointed out that over 400 civilians in Iran were killed by Israeli bombings from June 13th to June 24th 2025. They also suggested that Israel plans to conquer Gaza and the West Bank — the only Palestinian territories left.

Referring to the pro-Palestine movement, they said: “The people have woken up. There’s a bigger and better anti-war movement than there’s been in this country in the last two decades.” Their tone was furious throughout the speech. They ended with a call to action: “We must unite for the people across the Middle East, we must unite for the people here […] against Keir Starmer […] and against Israel.”

The second speaker was an activist who has worked in Gaza as a nurse. After describing massacres they’ve witnessed by the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces), the speaker said Israel’s military is not Jewish, but a “Zionist entity and an imperialist tool”.

Criticising the ban on Palestine Action as a ‘terrorist group’, they highlighted that protest “is a prerequisite for democracy”. Towards the end of the speech, they said: “I shouldn’t have starving babies and children dying in my arms. That just shouldn’t happen.”

Following the second speech, the crowd began its march up Queen Street. Protesters shouted the ‘Free Palestine’ and ‘From the River to the Sea’ chants to a marching drummer’s beat. Those in the centre of the crowd held a large Palestine flag.

The march first stopped at the top of Queen Street. Two more speeches took place here.

The crowd then marched up one lane of the A4161 beside Cardiff Castle. Traffic was significantly disrupted. They crossed the main road, continued onto Gorsedd Gardens Road, and up Park Place towards Cardiff University.

The Campus Demonstration

Protesters stopped outside the university’s main building and its Centre for Student Life. This demonstration occurred despite the ongoing legal battle between Cardiff University and its student Palestine protesters.

A spokesperson from Caerdydd Students for Palestine said “since the encampments last year”, there has been “security surveillance”, and police have been called to demonstrations. Two students were suspended last year for their involvement in a pro-Palestine protest. They now face expulsion. The university has issued an injunction against unauthorised protests on campus.

June 28th was an undergraduate open day at the university. Caerdydd Students for Palestine were aware of this. “Prospective students at the very least deserve to know that places like Cardiff University will offer students here an education and a future then support the bombing of all twelve universities in Gaza […]”

The group hopes the demonstrations will force the university’s executive board to consider their demands: to “disaffiliate from complicit companies, support students in Palestine, protect [the] right to free speech, and get Vice Chancellor Wendy Larner to resign”.

After more speeches and a poetry performance, protesters marched back to Queen Street via Park Place, continuing to disrupt traffic. Three more speeches took place. They all condemned the Labour government for funding the UK military and Israel whilst planning to cut back on UK welfare. Many protesters held Socialist Worker-designed ‘Welfare, Not Warfare’ signs. The Cardiff Socialist Party was also present.

Overall, the march lasted roughly an hour and a half.

Why?

Britain has deep economic ties with Israel. Arms exports from Britain to Israel were worth £127.6m at the end of 2024, according to The i Paper. Tensions have risen between the two countries, but this has not stopped arms sales. Many protestors and some MPs across Britain oppose any arms sales to Israel whilst they continue their campaign in Gaza. These arms may be used against civilian populations in the Gaza Strip.

A member of the Cardiff Stop the War Coalition said: “What we want to do with the demonstration is […] show to the public, and to the politicians and the media, that there’s visible opposition to this. A lot of people might not be in favour of what Israel is doing. This is very far away… but when you have protests, then it triggers conversations and debate, and that starts to create pressure on our political system.”

Gaza — Unending Horror

On October 7 2023, Palestinian militant groups attacked Israel, massacring 1,195 people and abducting 251. Israel immediately bombarded and invaded the Gaza Strip. The obliteration of Gaza continues 20 months later — at least 57,000 Gazans have died according to Al Jazeera.

Conditions in Gaza are apocalyptic. Less than half of its hospitals are functional. Gazans suffer man-made starvation and disease due to Israel’s restrictions on aid entering the territory. IDF massacres at Israel- and US-backed ‘aid distribution sites’ continue. Troops are being directly ordered to fire into the crowds, according to soldier testimonies published by Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Over 600 aid-seeking Palestinians have died in these attacks.

Benjamin Netanyahu and his government claim that their objectives are to destroy Hamas and rescue the surviving Israeli hostages. International human rights organisations and experts recognise that their aims go far beyond this.

Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the UN Special Committee conclude that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.