Nearly 200 people marched on McDonald's in Weymouth to deliver an open letter to the fast food chain about its support of Israeli soldiers in the conflict with Hamas.

Protesters gathered at the Jubilee Clock on Weymouth's Esplanade before marching towards the restaurant at the Jubilee Retail Park.

Campaigners taking part were calling for a boycott of the international fast food chain and a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Dorset Echo: Protesters marched to the Jubilee Retail Park from the Esplanade to hand deliver an open letter to McDonaldsProtesters marched to the Jubilee Retail Park from the Esplanade to hand deliver an open letter to McDonalds (Image: Dorset Palestinian Solidarity campaign)

A delegation of parents and school students were received by the staff at McDonald's and the letter was handed in to the franchise owner Chris Truscott.

The group was also invited in to speak with customers about their reasons for being there.

Rob Ferguson, secretary of the Dorset Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said that staff were 'sympathetic' to their cause and left feeling 'heartened' by the response from staff.

He said: "What really heartened us is when the McDonalds' staff invited us in and were really sympathetic to the cause.

"They allowed us to explain to the customers what we are doing and why we are doing, it wasn’t something we necessarily expected."

Dorset Echo: Protesters gathered atthe Jubilee Clock before heading to the Jubilee Retail ParkProtesters gathered atthe Jubilee Clock before heading to the Jubilee Retail Park (Image: Dorset Palestinian Solidarity Campaign)

The conflict between Israel and Hamas began in October 2023 after attacks carried out by the militant group killed more than 1,000 people.

Since then, it has been reported that 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in retaliation after Israel vowed to eliminate the group.

Calls to boycott McDonald's have come after Israeli franchises of the burger company have been giving out free meals to Israeli soldiers.

The open letter to the fast food giant expresses the 'dismay and anger' at the support McDonald’s continues to offer to Israel’s military forces and that the company will be 'widely seen as complicit in genocide unless it breaks all connection with its Israeli franchise'.

Mr Ferguson added: "Two days ago the Israel Defence Force (IDF) opened fire on desperate, hungry civilians queuing for flour, killing over 150 and wounding hundreds more.

"This is a calculated massacre. It is an outrage that McDonald’s Israeli franchise has given 100,000 free meals to IDF soldiers participating in genocide, and now offers 50 per cent reduction to members of the military.

"We are calling for a boycott of McDonald's until the company breaks all connection with its franchise in Israel".

The Echo has previously reached out to McDonalds for comment but the fast food chain has yet to respond.