Sir Sadiq Khan‘s New Year fireworks celebration in London was today accused of removing the Star of David from the Israeli flag.
The display featured dozens of flags projected onto the London Eye as 100,000 people lined the banks of the River Thames to welcome in 2026.
But Israel‘s flag could only be seen in the BBC‘s coverage as white with two blue stripes – and the Star of David, which represents Jewish identity, was not visible.
The Mayor’s office has vehemently denied removing the Star of David, adding that the flags were not always clear because they were small and moving in animation.
The issue appears to have affected a number of other blue and white flags being shown during the display, including those of Guatemala, Argentina and Honduras.
But it comes amid growing concern over the safety of Jews in London amid a rise in the number of antisemitic incidents in the UK since the October 7 Hamas attacks.
Last night’s display infuriated viewers – with some also upset that the improper Israeli flag appeared next to the Palestinian flag at one point. Former Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy tweeted: ‘I thought this was a hoax, so I checked myself.
‘The Star of David was removed from the Israeli flag during last night’s fireworks display at the London Eye. Just a white flag, with two blue stripes – and the Jewish symbol gone. Mayor Sadiq Khan has a lot of explaining to do.’
Israel’s flag in the fireworks display only had white with two blue stripes with no Star of David
Viewers also said the improper Israeli flag appeared next to the Palestinian flag at one point
The Mayor’s office said the flags were not always clear because they were small and moving
Journalist and broadcaster Melanie Phillips, who is Jewish, tweeted: ‘London marks the new year by erasing the Jews from the State of Israel. This is what Mayor Sadiq Khan presumably means when he says ‘antisemitism has no place in London’.’
A third viewer sad: ‘Why the hell has the Star of David been removed from the flag of Israel at the NYE London celebrations on the Millennium Wheel?’
And a fourth tweeted the Mayor to say: ‘What a s**t firework display full of cringy voiceovers.
‘But worst of all, sticking a middle finger up to the Jews of the UK, including a Palestine flag and no Israel flag finally proving you are an actual antisemite – that’s London in 2026.’
However, a spokesman for City Hall told the Daily Mail: ‘A range of flags were displayed on the London Eye to represent the wide variety of countries of origin of people who live in and contribute to the success of London.
‘These animated flags were small and moving so were not all entirely clear at every point as they gradually formed into the Union Flag.’
The Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors antisemitism in the UK, recorded 1,521 antisemitic incidents across the UK in the first half of 2025.
This was the second highest total ever reported to the organisation in the first six months of any year, but it was down by a quarter from the record high of 2,019 incidents recorded between January and June 2024.
Reports to the CST of antisemitism reached a record high in 2023 at 4,296 – the year that saw the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel and the subsequent military action in the region that has continued since.
Last night’s fireworks display was set to a soundtrack which included the likes of Raye, Sabrina Carpenter, Ed Sheeran and Coldplay and featured voiceovers from stars such as Celia Imrie, Andrew Cotter and Alison Hammond, celebrating some of the highlights of 2025.
Among the feats acknowledged in the display were England’s Women’s Rugby World Cup triumph, the Lionesses retaining the Euros and Europe’s Ryder Cup win, while there was also a section featuring the film Wicked: For Good.
As well as the thousands in attendance, millions around the world watched live as London welcomed in 2026 with fireworks, lighting, music and animation.
More than 12,000 fireworks and more than 400 lights illuminated the night sky around the London Eye, with hologauze animations complementing the largest annual firework display in Europe on the BBC’s coverage.
Sir Sadiq Khan attends the Christmas tree ceremony at Trafalgar Square on December 4, 2025
Fireworks light up the sky over the Elizabeth Tower and the London Eye in London last night
As well as celebrating national achievements of the last 12 months, the display also referenced last summer being the UK’s hottest on record and featured a nod to the social media ‘tea-time alarm’ meme that suggested there is a daily alarm reminding British people to enjoy a cup of tea.
But some viewers criticised the display as ‘disappointing’ after it featured an ‘advert’ for the new Wicked movie.
The show featured prominent visuals and songs from Wicked: For Good in an ‘event partnership’ between his office and Universal Pictures.
Cynthia Erivo, who stars as Elphaba in the movie, recorded a message encouraging people to ’embrace the magic that we all have inside and come together, for good’.
But viewers were unimpressed, with one tweeting: ‘I found the fireworks boring, and why was there basically an advert for Wicked in the middle?’
Another wrote: ‘The wicked ad in the middle of the fireworks OMFG. Late-stage capitalism has gone too far.’
And a third said: ‘The Wicked ad felt weird though, yes? Why did my fireworks come with a side of marketing?’
