Labour MP John McDonnell under fire for speech at pro-Palestine rally amid support for Iranian regime

Left-wing Labour MP John McDonnell has sparked renewed anger after giving a speech at a pro-Palestine demonstration in London, where dozens of activists openly carried banners in support of Iran’s Supreme Leader.

McDonnell used his platform to call for British citizens who fought for the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) to be “brought to justice for the war crimes they committed,” he appeared to turn a blind eye to the controversial displays among the crowd.

In his address from the stage at last Saturday’s Palestine Solidarity Campaign-backed demonstration in central London, McDonnell declared: “‘I’ll not forget what the IDF has done and I’ll never forgive… You know, there were British citizens fighting for the IDF.”

He continued, “Before, the government said legal action couldn’t be taken against them because there was no other state that they were fighting against that was recognised. There was a technical argument based on legislation in the 19th century. Now the Palestinian state has been recognised and we expect those British citizens to be brought to justice.”

However, McDonnell appeared to ignore evidence that a significant number of activists at the protest had declared open support for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

Some marchers displayed banners with Khamenei’s photograph and declared themselves to be on the “right side of history” as they made their way through London.

Social media images from the event also showed a man appearing to perform a Nazi salute, alongside banners calling for the de-proscription of Hamas and Hezbollah.

Labour MP David Taylor was among those to immediately condemn McDonnell’s involvement in a demonstration featuring pro-Khomeini supporters.

The MP for Hemel Hempstead posted on X: “John McDonnell yesterday, you spoke at a rally/march at which some of the protestors did Nazi salutes, called for Israel to be obliterated, and pro-Ayatollah, Hamas and Hezbollah placards, clothing and chants were seen/heard.

“And one organiser of the event appeared to be the so-called ‘Islamic Human Rights Commission,’ which The Times has reported is linked to Iran’s Supreme Council.

“Will you condemn these acts and apologise for speaking at the rally?”

Children’s author and long-time campaigner for Palestinian rights, Michael Rosen, also raised concerns about the support shown for the Iranian regime during the protest.

The Jewish academic wrote on Facebook: “I’ve seen photos and clips of people on the march holding Iranian regime flags, and placards with pictures of Ali Khamenei with the caption ‘On the right side of history’. ….This is terrible, and people supporting the Palestinians should have no problem in saying so. Again and again.”

Saturday’s demonstration took place against the backdrop of deadly repression in Iran, under the title of “We will continue until the Palestinian people are free”.

Several thousand took part in the demo, which failed to address the slaughter in Iran, where it is estimated at least 30,000 people are understood to have been killed during weeks of protests against the regime.

Last week, the Tehran teachers’ union issued a statement demanding the release of all detainees, claiming, “in less than a week, one of the bloodiest chapters of repression in contemporary Iranian history has unfolded. Tens of thousands of children and women have been drenched in blood.”

McDonnell, who spoke at the PSC-led demo alongside Jeremy Corbyn, Zarah Sultana, and trade union leader Andrea Egan, told the crowd: “We’re marching in solidarity, and today we’ve demonstrated yet again that people in their numbers will express that solidarity in their marching.”

He also called for the de-proscription of the direct-action group Palestine Action, saying he had visited activists from the group in prison, who had been on hunger strike.

McDonnell said, “I want to pay tribute to their courage and determination for what they did. These are not terrorists. These are people with a heart-rending conscience that could not stand by to watch the suffering of the Palestinians.”