British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned the chant "globalise the intifada" as "extreme racism" and called for police to prosecute those who use it during demonstrations. The remarks came after two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green, north London, in an attack police have declared a terrorist incident.
Speaking at a news conference, Starmer said the chant—based on an Arabic word meaning "uprising"—has left Jewish people feeling "scared, intimidated, wondering if they belong." He emphasized that the government is reviewing further measures on protests amid rising concerns over antisemitism.
"Of course we protect freedom of speech and peaceful protests in this country, but if you are marching with people wearing pictures of paragliders without calling it out, you are venerating the murder of Jews," Starmer said. "If you stand alongside people who say globalise the intifada, you are calling for terrorism against Jews—and people who use that phrase should be prosecuted."
Starmer urged the public to "open their eyes to Jewish pain," describing the issue as "about society every bit as much as it is about security."
The attack has reignited debates over the protection of British Jews and the policing of pro-Palestinian marches. The government's terrorism adviser, Jonathan Hall KC, has called for a "moratorium" on such marches, arguing they "incubate" antisemitism. Both the Conservatives and Reform UK have pressed for tougher action.
However, Green Party leader Zack Polanski warned against using the attack to curtail civil liberties, stating it would be a "dangerous error" to restrict peaceful protest.