ByMATHILDA HELLER
Updated:

Members of the Northwest London Jewish community have expressed outrage after pro-Palestine protesters marched through central Hendon on Monday, shouting ‘genocide’ and ‘the State of Israel has to go’ outside Jewish establishments.

The protest, allegedly related to Palestinian Land Day, took place less than two weeks after Jewish ambulances were burned in the same area.

Palestinian Land Day takes place annually on March 30 and commemorates six Palestinians who allegedly died while protesting Israeli plans to confiscate Arab land in the Galilee in 1976.

According to Barnet Socialists, the Hendon protest was focused on the UK HQ of the Jewish National Fund, which was accused of “wanting to colonize” Palestinian land.

However, locals said that seeing the approximately 40 protesters march past the Kaifeng kosher restaurant was distressing. Hendon has a significant Jewish population.

Barnet Labour Councilor Sara Conway called the protest in Hendon “deeply concerning and unacceptable.”

An aerial view as fire services continue to monitor the scene after four Hatzola ambulances were set on fire overnight next to Machzike Hadath Synagogue, on March 23, 2026 in the Golders Green area of London, England.
An aerial view as fire services continue to monitor the scene after four Hatzola ambulances were set on fire overnight next to Machzike Hadath Synagogue, on March 23, 2026 in the Golders Green area of London, England. (credit: Leon Neal/Getty Images)

“Protesters brought intimidation to the streets of Barnet at a time when the Jewish community is feeling so vulnerable following the counterterrorism arrests and the arson attack on Hatzolah,” she said.

She added that the police were not made aware of the spontaneous protest beforehand but praised the force for arriving within 10 minutes of receiving the call.

Palestinian Land Day protest 'clearly antisemitic'

Hendon MP David Pinto-Duschinsky said he was aware of the “spontaneous so-called ‘anti-Zionist’ protest” and called it “utterly appalling, completely unacceptable, and clearly antisemitic.”

“The protesters chose to demonstrate at the heart of a quiet residential neighborhood with a large Jewish community that is still in shock from the despicable antisemitic attack on Hatzalah Golders Green, less than a mile away,” he said, adding that “at a time when the community is already frightened, they have sought to make things worse.”

He added that he is liaising closely with the Community Security Trust (CST) organization and the police.

“Coming to Hendon to stage a protest achieves nothing but inflaming tensions and intimidating residents,” said the National Jewish Assembly. “This is not a protest; it is harassment.”