Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marched through central London on Saturday to call for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the latest in a series of similar weekend demonstrations in the capital since the seven-week war began.
Quick Read
- Large Scale Protest: Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marched through central London, calling for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. This demonstration is the latest in a series of weekend protests in the capital since the outbreak of the seven-week war.
- Timing During Truce: The rally occurred during a four-day truce between Israel and Hamas. However, protesters expressed that the temporary ceasefire was insufficient.
- Protesters’ Demands: Participants, including 64-year-old protester Kate Hudson, emphasized the need for a permanent resolution that aligns with U.N. resolutions and provides a political settlement for Palestinians.
- Police Presence and Arrests: Police distributed leaflets to demonstrators, cautioning against law violations. They arrested a man for carrying a placard with Nazi symbols, accused of inciting racial hatred.
- Previous Protests and Arrests: During an earlier protest this month, over 120 protesters were arrested following clashes between police and far-right groups opposing the pro-Palestinian demonstration.
- Additional Protests Planned: A protest against antisemitism was scheduled for the following Sunday in London. The Metropolitan Police deployed over 1,500 officers for the weekend to manage both events.
- Political Response: Former interior minister Suella Braverman was dismissed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak following an unauthorized article in which she accused the police of displaying “double standards” in handling pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protests.
The Associated Press has the story:
Tens of thousands join pro-Palestinian march in central London
Newslooks- LONDON, (Reuters)
Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marched through central London on Saturday to call for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the latest in a series of similar weekend demonstrations in the capital since the seven-week war began.
Saturday’s rally took place during a four-day truce between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, the first break in the fighting, but protesters said that was not enough.
“We need full support for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza,” protester Kate Hudson, 64, told Reuters at the rally as demonstrators carrying signs such as “Ceasefire Now!” and “Stop the War on Gaza” walked peacefully along the march route towards the Houses of Parliament.
“It’s very welcome that there is a pause … But this problem needs to be resolved and resolved so that the Palestinians finally have the political settlement that countless U.N. resolutions have enshrined,” said Hudson, an anti-war activist.
Police, who were handing out leaflets to warn demonstrators against breaking the law, arrested a man on suspicion of inciting racial hatred near the start of the protest. They said on social media that he had been seen carrying a placard with Nazi symbols on it.
More than 120 protesters were arrested during a march earlier this month, when skirmishes broke out between police and far-right groups who had gathered to protest against the pro-Palestinian demonstration.
A protest against antisemitism is also planned in London on Sunday and London’s Metropolitan Police said more than 1,500 officers would be on duty over the weekend to handle the two protests.
Former interior minister Suella Braverman was fired by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after an unauthorised article in which she had accused police of “double standards” at protests showing support for Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
