Pro Palestine campaigners disrupt Camden Council meeting

Camden's mayor was forced to call for a break in the council's meeting on Monday (January 29) after an activist threw a child's shoe into the chamber.

Before the meeting, protesters had stood outside the town hall in Judd Street, Kings Cross, chanting "from the river to the sea Palestine will be free" and holding banners spelling out 'genocide'.

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As proceedings began inside a woman in the gallery stood up telling the council that 30,000 Palestinians had died, 11,000 children, since the conflict with Israel had begun on October 7.

She shouted "how many more have to die?" before the council would call for a ceasefire as she was led out by security guards.

Pro Palestine campaigners outside Camden Town Hall in Kings Cross ahead of a full council meeting (Image: Nathalie Raffray)

No sooner was she gone than others took turns to stand up. One woman spoke directly to mayor Cllr Nazma Rahman, saying "I'm deeply disappointed and devastated that you have not called for a ceasefire to stop the slaughter of my people.

"What is stopping you from taking a stand against the genocide my people?"

A man said Irish people are calling for a ceasefire, adding: "Only one of you among you councillors have had the courage to vote for a ceasefire. Shame on the rest of you.

A Pro Palestine campaigner stands up to ask Camden to vote for a ceasefire as councillors sit below (Image: Nathalie Raffray)

"Camden people are watching you, we know what you do, we know what you say, we're expecting more."

One woman threw a shoe over the balcony shouting: "11,000 children are dead - how many more children will die if you do not take action?" 

She accused the council of being "cowards", adding: "You have blood on your hands. Disgusting."

Council leader Cllr Georgia Gould stood to respond, saying the council supported a "two-state solution" but she was drowned out, forcing the mayor to call for a 15-minute break.

Camden Council leader Cllr Georgia Gould stands to speak directly to pro-Palestine campaigners before being drowned out by their shouts (Image: Nathalie Raffray)

Cllr Gould, who was returning to the chamber after giving birth to a son last year, said on her return to the chamber that "everyone is feeling pain about what's happening".

"I'm very proud to be a Jewish leader standing alongside Muslim colleagues and colleagues from all faiths and none," she added.

She said a "huge amount was going on" but "more needs to be done" and highlighted that Jewish people were reporting crimes and fears walking to the synagogue.

"Everyone would have seen the very sad incident today, with a knife wielding individual in Golders Green," she added.

She said that although "international conflict is not a place for a county council" the council had launched a campaign against hate crime "to offer extra support".