Iranian dissident, pro-Israel activist survives violent attack at London rally for Israeli hostages

Iranian dissident and pro-Israel activist, Niyak Ghorbani, was attacked at a rally to highlight the plight of Israeli hostages in London on Monday. 

Ghorbani, an anti-regime Iranian journalist living in the United Kingdom, has become a recognized figure in London, often standing alone in a sea of pro-Palestinian protesters with his sign – reminding the crowds that Hamas are terrorists. However, he was not alone yesterday. According to Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), thousands turned out in London for the large demonstration organized by Stop the Hate and supported by the Board of Deputies of British Jews.

The event, entitled “No more excuses,” brought the Jewish community and allies together to demand the immediate release of the remaining 50 Israeli hostages being held by the Hamas terror group in Gaza. The rally also took aim at the British government, the United Nations, and the Red Cross, with Stop the Hate accusing them of being “complicit in appeasing Hamas and ignoring the plight of the remaining hostages and their families.”

Ghorbani wrote on 𝕏, “Today, to draw the attention of the international community and UK politicians to the urgent need to free all hostages held by the Hamas terrorists including Eviatar David, who was forced by Hamas to dig his own grave, and Rom Braslavsky, who was so starved he could barely breathe, I joined the front line of the march at the invitation of my friends from Stop The Hate, alongside prominent figures such as Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis of the United Kingdom and many others.”

However, the rally did not go without incident. After an altercation with a man who shoved him, Ghorbani said that others accompanying the man shouted abuse at him and threw a bottle of “foul-smelling” liquid in his face before the attack escalated.

“He grabbed my throat and squeezed it with full force for about 20 seconds with the clear intention to kill or strangle me,” Ghorbani explained. 

To: @metpoliceuk
Cc: @MetCC

I am writing to address my deepest concern regarding the serious body harm assault took place today by an individual (please see the clip and photo below) on Mr. Niyak Ghorbani @GhorbaniiNiyak who has been consistently and peacefully advocating for… pic.twitter.com/5AT8LQ7y78

— Rouzbeh Hosseini (@HosseiniRouzbeh) August 10, 2025

“The only thing I could think to do was to grip his collar tightly so he couldn’t get away. As my vision darkened and I was on the verge of blacking out, his female companion, seeing that I would not let go, began clawing at my neck and body. In that moment, all three of them attacked me from different directions. I couldn’t clearly see where they were hitting me because my sight was fading,” he said.

Israeli Arab Yoseph Haddad, a well-known activist and former IDF soldier who often speaks internationally in defense of Israel, posted a shocking picture of the attack on social media, explaining what happened. Referring to Ghorbani as a “close friend,” Haddad wrote, “London, like many cities in Europe, has been taken over by supporters of terrorism and this is the result!

“Niyak - I wish you a speedy recovery, you are a true friend and a brave voice for Israel!”

According to Ghorbani, the attacker was arrested, albeit only after some time.

He wrote: “Eventually, CST officers and members of the public intervened, dragged him back, and fortunately the police arrested him. Even then, I did not fight back although I easily could have, because my deep fear of police detention held me back once again. This time, however, I truly looked death in the eye and came back from it.”

Ghorbani continued, “To every single one of you who sent messages or offered support, whether famous or unknown, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I apologise that I am not in the right mental state at present; I truly saw death with my own eyes.”

He expressed sorrow that the attack had distracted from the main cause. “I am now back home. I have no serious physical injuries and there is no cause for alarm. I am still alive and it seems I am not meant to die just yet. Stay safe and well and I am sorry that, when the world should be writing #BringThemHome, my name was being written instead,” he added.

In a post supporting Ghorbani, Sarai Idan, former Miss Iraq and CEO of Humanity Forward, warned, “Britain is losing its soul to extremism. These violent ideologues who reject free speech, who use intimidation and force to silence dissent, do not belong in a liberal democratic society.”

“One picture says it all,” she wrote beside an image of Ghorbani being attacked. She also criticized the British government.

“Shame on you, Keir Starmer. Under your watch, the UK is becoming an open playground for Islamist extremism. When you allow radicals to thrive, when they hold positions of power in your government and cities, this is the result: fear, violence, and the silencing of the very voices who risk their lives for freedom.”

JNS reported that rally attendees marched from Lincoln’s Inn Fields to the Prime Minister’s residence in Downing Street, with many wearing yellow and carrying Israeli and British flags. 

The UK’s chief rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, delivered a speech directed at the government. “If a terrorist organization proscribed by the UK government is congratulating the UK government, it means there is something seriously wrong,” he warned.

Mirvis addressed Prime Minister Starmer directly: “How will you ever be able to live with the fact that you would have recognized a Palestinian state, at the head of which is a terrorist organization with the stated intention of destroying the state of Israel and bombing Jews right around the world, and all this at a time when the hostages are still languishing in the tunnels of Gaza?”