Journalists in London staged a solemn demonstration outside Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s residence on Wednesday, paying tribute to colleagues in Gaza who have been killed in Israeli military attacks.

Organized by members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), the gathering combined protest and remembrance. Participants delivered a letter to Downing Street urging the UK government to take stronger action in defense of press freedom and accountability.

During the vigil, names of more than 200 Palestinian journalists reported killed since October 7, 2023, were read aloud, underscoring the scale of loss within the profession.

The most recent fatalities occurred Monday in Khan Yunis, where Israeli airstrikes killed at least 20 people, among them reporters working with Al Jazeera, Reuters, the Associated Press, and other outlets.

Speakers at the event condemned what they described as an intolerable pattern of attacks on media workers. “We’re here to show solidarity, and to show that we are horrified as fellow journalists about what’s happening,” said freelance journalist and organizer Deborah Hobson, who criticized the UK government’s muted response.

“There’s nothing that says that the UK is horrified. We have a prime minister who’s a human rights lawyer. We expect better from a Labour government in any case, because of its historical reputation in terms of justice and equality”, he added.

The UK has in recent weeks suspended some arms export licenses to Israel, paused free trade negotiations, and sanctioned two Israeli ministers over their role in the conflict. It also joined 26 other countries in calling for Israel to grant immediate access for foreign journalists into Gaza.

For attendees, the vigil was both a call for accountability and a gesture of remembrance. “I came to honour and remember our colleagues, as well as demanding the strongest measures of protection for journalists still working in Gaza and elsewhere,” said writer and editor Mike Holderness. “The vigil is to honour the memory of those who’ve given their lives to trying to report the truth.”

The journalists’death adds to the staggering toll of Israel’s ongoing assault, which has claimed more than 62,700 lives in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless military campaign has left the besieged enclave on the brink of famine.