Local residents from Kingston and the nearby area are planning to gather in front of Kingston Hospital tomorrow (Thursday, 1 October) to protest the NHS' contract with Palantir.

Led by Richmond & Kingston Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the action is part of the People vs. Palantir: Global Week of Action, an international campaign to end all public contracts and partnerships with the spy tech company.

The demonstration will take place outside the main entrance of Kingston Hospital on Galsworthy Road between 2 and 4pm on Thursday.

After the local action, the group will join a big rally outside Palantir HQ in Soho Square, London at 6pm.

Local opposition councillor James Giles plans to attend. Other Kingston councillors and Sir Ed DaveyMP have also been invited.

Earlier this year, the Lib Dem Leader called on the Health Secretary Wes Streeting to "kick Palantir out of our NHS".

Sir Ed added: "Donald Trump's favourite tech giant shouldn't be allowed anywhere near Brits' private health data," he said.

"Liberal Democrats are calling for Palantir to be barred from any government contracts. There are fantastic British tech firms who would be far better and safer for the NHS."

Palantir is allegedly providing Israel with technology used to commit genocide and impose apartheid against Palestinians.

Its CEO previously said: "Palantir is here to scare our enemies and, on occasion, kill them."

In November 2023, the company was awarded a £330million contract to develop a Federated Data Platform (FDP) to store NHS England patient medical data.

This contract is widely opposed by health workers and patients, according to Richmond & Kingston Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

In February 2027, the government will choose whether to extend or break the contract. Richmond & Kingston Palestine Solidarity Campaign says it is "demanding the government end the contract, and commit to not awarding any future contracts to tech companies enabling Israel's crimes against Palestinians".

The campaign for the NHS to break its contract with Palantir ("Back the Break") has a wide coalition of support from organisations including Amnesty International, Health Workers for a Free Palestine and Medact, Doctors Association UK, and The Good Law Project.

More information can be found here.

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