Pro-Palestinian protest organisers have secured a £3million financial war chest after raising vast sums from the sale of flags, scarves and other merchandise linked to the cause.
The money has been accumulated by the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign (PSC), which has dramatically expanded its finances in the past year through a combination of donations, membership fees and online sales.
According to details revealed at the group’s annual general meeting earlier this month, income surged by more than £1million last year alone, with a large share generated by merchandise sold through its website, the Telegraph reports.
The organisation has pledged to use the funds to sustain and expand its programme of mass demonstrations across Britain.
Among the most popular items sold to supporters are traditional checked keffiyeh scarves, long associated with Palestinian identity, as well as Palestinian flags in red, white, green and black.
The campaign also sells clothing, posters, olive oil, key rings and decorative items such as candlestick holders, all branded or marketed around Palestinian solidarity.
More recently, the group has promoted the sale of Palestinian dates, urging supporters to purchase them during Ramadan as part of a boycott of Israeli produce.
Since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, the PSC has organised more than 30 national pro-Palestine marches, many of them centred on London.
PSC demonstrators conducted marches across the capital as organisers reveal a £3million war chest built from donations and merchandise sales
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Membership has also grown rapidly, with more than 17,000 people now signed up and paying annual fees of up to £30.
In return, members are promised regular updates about events in Palestine and campaign activity within the UK.
The organisation has also benefited from significant donations from supporters based overseas, further swelling its reserves.
Critics have accused the marches of fuelling division, with claims that repeated demonstrations have rendered parts of city centres intimidating or inaccessible for Jewish residents.
Jeremy Corbyn praised PSC activists for organising what he said were “some of the biggest” pro-Palestine demonstrations in the world
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At their annual general meeting, the scale of the funds was laid bare as leaders outlined plans to continue large-scale demonstrations and increase pressure on political and cultural institutions.
The meeting was addressed by Jeremy Corbyn, who praised activists for what he described as the scale and impact of the protests.
Speaking to attendees, he said: “The demonstrations in Britain are some of the biggest in the world in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
“Well done all of you and thank you very much indeed.
“What our campaign has done is cut through the thin veneer of respectability and democracy that the British establishment likes to surround itself with.”
The group’s treasurer, John Ellis, told members the £3million balance had been driven largely by donations, membership income and rising merchandise sales.
He said revenue from merchandise alone rose from £121,000 in 2024 to £298,000 last year.
Mr Ellis added that public financial backing had continued despite what he described as “Israel’s genocide in Gaza”.
The PSC currently spends around £1million a year on staff salaries, with a further £850,000 allocated to campaigning and organising activity.
Members at the meeting also pledged to continue national protests and to challenge Israel’s participation in cultural and sporting events.
Alex Hearn, co-director of Labour Against Anti-Semitism, said the group was responsible for “many of the hate marches which have been characterised by anti-Jewish racism”.
He said: “It is extremely concerning that this group has amassed so much to fund their campaign of hate, while the authorities seem unable and unwilling to do anything to challenge them.”