Starmer Accused Of Stifling Dissent With Pro-Palestine Chant Restrictions

On 8 October 2025, Prime Minister Keir Starmer provoked outrage by announcing plans to scrutinise and potentially restrict chants at pro-Palestine protests, triggering backlash over limiting free speech. Speaking to reporters while on a trade mission in India, he said he has asked Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to broaden a review of police powers, declaring the government must 'go further' on inflammatory slogans amid escalating communal tensions.

As thousands marched on the second anniversary of the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks, Starmer's pro-Palestine chant restrictions exposed Labour's delicate challenge of safeguarding Jewish communities and defending protest rights, fuelling debates over dissent in an increasingly polarised Britain.

Starmer's Directive: Chants Under Fire Amid Anniversary Protests

Starmer's directive followed student-led marches in London, Edinburgh, and Sheffield marking the 7 October anniversary, where crowds chanted 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free'.

The slogan, interpreted by some as a call for Israel's eradication and by others as a demand to end occupation, had previously prompted Met Police guidance to label it 'controversial' but rarely prosecutable. Starmer, urging students not to join, cited 'rising antisemitism' following a deadly knife attack at a synagogue in Manchester on Yom Kippur, which killed two.

Building on Mahmood's earlier statements about allowing police to assess protests' 'cumulative impact'—potentially rerouting or limiting repeat demonstrations—Starmer called for wider scrutiny. He stated, 'I've asked the home secretary to look more broadly at what other powers are available, how they're being used, and whether they should be changed in any way.'

Nearly 500 arrests were made over the weekend for supporting the banned group Palestine Action. Officials framed this as necessary to protect Jewish safety from 'considerable fear', but activists accused authorities of selective enforcement.

Backlash Builds: Accusations of Authoritarian Overreach

Human rights groups and campaigners lambasted Starmer's pro-Palestine chant restrictions, warning they represent an authoritarian overreach that threatens legitimate activism. Defend our Juries, which opposes Palestine Action's terrorist designation, accused Labour of an 'anti-democratic agenda', stating, Starmer's comments 'further confirms what we've warned about all along: that proscribing Palestine Action would pave the way for further authoritarian crackdowns on our fundamental rights to free speech in this country.'

Critics pointed to Gaza's daily child death toll as a stark contrast to the UK's focus on protest chants, arguing that priorities are misplaced. The Independent reported Starmer's remarks followed student defiance, with legal experts warning that amendments to protest laws could criminalise organisers through bans or sanctions.

On X @ScotNational amplified concerns, posting, 'Keir Starmer has threatened to crack down on the chants used at pro-Palestine protests in England'.

Wider Ramifications: Balancing Security and Expression

Starmer's move may very well reshape how protests are policed across the UK amid global scrutiny of Gaza. The Telegraph reported demands for chant crackdowns following the 7 October marches, tying them to broader reviews that could empower police to impose outright bans if disorder risks are deemed significant.

Press TV raised concerns over disproportionate arrests of pro-Palestine protesters, questioning whether enforcement is being applied consistently. As Mahmood reviews existing legislation policies, civil liberties advocates warn that the government's approach risks blurring the lines between protest and prosecution, possibly spurring resistance or deepening divides.