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UK trade minister interrupted by pro-Palestine protesters during event

27 March 2025 13:29 GMT

Jonathan Reynolds, the UK's trade minister, was interrupted by two pro-Palestinian protesters opposing arms sales to Israel who stormed the stage during a think-tank event on Thursday.

London for a Free Palestine, one of the campaign groups which organised a rally outside Chatham House where Reynolds was speaking, said the on-stage protest was intended to keep pressure on the government to halt all arms exports to Israel - especially of parts for F-35 fighter jets.

"They have not stopped the trade in F-35s," one protester shouted. Another protester accused the UK government of complicity in genocide.

Reynolds responded by stating that the UK had suspended arms exports to Israel.

In September, the government suspended 30 of its 350 arms export licences to Israel.

It said at the time that parts for F-35 fighters would be mostly exempted because it was not possible to suspend these exports without prejudicing the jets' entire global programme.

Reynolds told the protesters: "We haven't suspended F-35s because they're integral to our national security and particularly the defense of Ukraine."