Pro-Israel Demonstrators Protest Green Party’s Zionism as Racism Motion at Conference

Supporters of Israel have gathered outside the Green Party conference in Brighton, England, on 3 October 2026, to protest a motion that defines Zionism as a form of racism. The motion, authored by British-Palestinian member Lubna Speitan, is set for a vote by Green Party members and has drawn significant media attention and controversy at the conference.

The protest outside the conference venue saw dozens of pro-Israel demonstrators confronting Green Party members as they entered. The demonstrators chanted slogans such as “Terrorist supporters off our streets” and “There’s no Palestine, there is no Palestine.” Some held signs reading “Stand up to racist Greens,” “Anti Zionism = terrorism,” and “More trees less Hamas.” A few waved a Union Jack, while one man, identifying as an Indian Jew, displayed a flag combining Israeli and Indian symbols.

Speitan emphasized the importance of addressing all forms of racism, discrimination, genocide, and the Holocaust in her statement to Middle East Eye. She clarified that not all Jews are Zionists and not all Zionists are Jewish, underscoring the distinction between the Jewish people and the political movement of Zionism.

An Iranian woman participating in the protest expressed concern that the Green Party’s stance could lead to a radical Islamist alliance in the UK, drawing parallels to the situation in Iran. Another protester, a middle-aged white man, accused the Green Party of antisemitism and referred to Green Party leader Zack Polanski as a “self-hating Jew,” a term often used to denigrate Jewish critics of the Israeli government. He identified as a Christian and claimed that Jewish people were being persecuted “by Islam.”

A French woman at the protest described the Green Party as supporters of Hamas and warned of the dangers of left-wing alliances with Islamists, referencing similar situations in France. A group of counter-protesters, mostly Green Party members, held their own demonstration nearby, maintaining a peaceful atmosphere with police separating the two groups.

The event highlights the polarized views surrounding the definition of Zionism and the broader implications of anti-Zionist rhetoric. As the motion moves forward, the debate continues to reflect deep divisions over the intersection of politics, identity, and justice.

Source: Read the original report