Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the BBC headquarters in Portland Place on Thursday, accusing the public broadcaster of biased reporting and hiding genocide in its coverage of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and supported by other activist groups, the demonstration condemned what participants described as the BBC’s failure to hold Israel accountable for its military actions. Protesters waved Palestinian flags and held signs bearing slogans such as “Stop arming Israel,” “Jews against genocide,” and “Bloody BBC.” Chants of “BBC, shame on you” and “BBC, you can’t hide, you are supporting genocide” echoed through the streets.

The protest was partly triggered by the BBC’s recent decision to pull the documentary Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, co-directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Jamie Roberts. The film aimed to portray the human toll of the conflict, but activists say the broadcaster’s move reflects a broader trend of suppressing critical coverage.

“By doing this, the BBC says their aim is not to inform,” said Faris Amer of the Palestinian Forum in Britain. “They are failing in their journalistic duty. We urge the public to turn to independent media sources.”

Demonstrators demanded an immediate ceasefire and an end to the Israeli blockade of Gaza, which has further deepened the humanitarian crisis. According to World Bank data, nearly 2.4 million people in Gaza now depend on humanitarian aid, with food, medical supplies, and essential goods largely cut off since Israel closed Gaza’s border crossings on March 2.

Local authorities in Gaza report that more than 52,600 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have been killed since October 7, 2023, amid the escalating military campaign. The conflict has drawn international legal scrutiny, with the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Israel is also currently facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.

In a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter), the PSC urged continued mobilization against what it calls the BBC’s “complicity” in concealing the realities of the war.

As of Friday morning, the BBC had not released a public statement responding to the protest. (ILKHA)