A crowd gathered outside Claridge’s Hotel in central London on Sunday to protest its Qatari ownership and the Gulf state’s alleged financial ties to Hamas.
The demonstration drew a vocal crowd to Brook Street in Mayfair. Protesters waved Israeli flags and held placards reading “Qatar is Hamas” and “Claridge’s has blood on its hands”, while chants echoed through the street outside the five-star hotel.
A protester outside Claridge’s holds a sign linking Qatar to Hamas during a demonstration on 30 March 2025. Photo credit: Elliott Franks
Claridge’s is part of the Maybourne Hotel Group, co-owned by Qatar’s former emir and ex-prime minister. Campaigners say that while the hotel caters to the global elite, Qatar is simultaneously funnelling money to Hamas and fuelling antisemitism and terrorism across the Middle East.
Leading the protest was Rabbi Pini Dunner, senior rabbi of Beverly Hills Synagogue in Los Angeles, who flew to the UK to take part.
“They claim to be honest brokers and neutral mediators. Lies!” he told the crowd. “They are terrorist supporters and funders. Qatar is Hamas. It’s as simple as that.”
He accused Qatar of bankrolling the 7 October Hamas attacks: “Every bullet fired on 7 October was paid for by Qatar. Every grenade launched by Hamas was funded by Qatar. Thirty million dollars a month goes into Gaza to keep Hamas in power. It cannot be allowed to continue.”
Dunner also criticised Qatar’s role in hostage negotiations, calling it “a false mediator” that empowers Hamas behind the scenes. “We cannot allow terrorism to thrive in the West and pretend that these people are our friends,” he said. “Whoever gives money to this hotel helps empower evil.”
He said the protest aimed to expose “Qatar’s ongoing financial support for terror” and to question how such a state can continue to own luxury assets in the UK.
