A protest is due to take place outside the brighton Centre as the Green Party’s annual conference continues amid controversy over a motion concerning Zionism.
The demonstration has been advertised by Our Fight for 12pm on Saturday, October 3, with Sussex Friends of Israel, Stop the Hate and Jewish and Proud listed as supporting organisations.
Organisers have described the demonstration as a “Rally Against Anti-Zionism”.
It comes as Green Party members prepare to debate a motion titled “Zionism is Racism” during the party’s autumn conference in Brighton.
Green members to debate controversial motion
The proposal was originally submitted as motion A105 and was prioritised as E12 for the party’s 2026 spring conference.
It was not debated after the conference ran out of time and was subsequently carried forward for consideration at the autumn gathering.
The motion proposes that the Green Party formally adopt an anti-Zionist position and contains a definition of Zionism which supporters describe as an ethnonationalist political ideology.
It also advocates a single democratic Palestinian state across historic Palestine alongside a series of other measures concerning Israel and Palestine.
Those proposals are contained within the motion and would not become Green Party policy unless approved by members.
Jewish Greens members divided
The proposal has generated significant debate within the party, including among members of Jewish Greens.
The group said in August that its members held differing views and that it did not have a collective position on the motion while consultation continued.
Some members have raised concerns about the potential impact on Jewish Greens who identify as Zionists, while other Jewish members of the party identify as anti-Zionist.
Former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas has also criticised the proposal and said she would not support it.
Supporters, including Greens for Palestine, argue that Zionism should be treated as a political ideology and say adopting an explicitly anti-Zionist position would support Palestinian self-determination and equal rights.
More than 3,000 expected at conference
The Green Party’s autumn conference is being held at the Brighton Centre from October 2 to 4, with more than 3,000 members expected to attend.
Party leader Zack Polanski delivered his conference speech on Friday, during which he called for the proscription of Palestine Action to be reversed. Delegates were also heard chanting “Free Palestine”.
Polanski did not directly address the “Zionism is Racism” motion during his speech.
Saturday’s demonstration is due to begin outside the Brighton Centre at 12pm, as delegates continue a conference dominated in part by debate over Israel, Palestine and the party’s position on Zionism.
