Thousands march through London demanding ceasefire in Gaza
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through central London, with protesters calling for an immediate Gaza ceasefire and an end to the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Tens of thousands gathered from across the UK, walking from Russell Square to Whitehall, where speeches took place outside Downing Street.
The largely peaceful protest comes exactly one year after the 7th October attacks in Israel, with tensions still running high. Protesters urged global action, with Amnesty International continuing to highlight human rights concerns in Gaza, calling for immediate accountability and justice for those impacted by the ongoing conflict. People could be seen carrying Palestinian flags and placards with messages such as “ceasefire now” and “hands off Lebanon,” chanting “stop the bombing now.”
While the Metropolitan Police described the protest as mostly peaceful, 17 people were arrested. These arrests included three for assaulting emergency workers, three for assault, and eight for public order offences, four of which were racially aggravated. Additionally, two individuals were arrested for supporting a proscribed organisation, with one seen wearing what appeared to be a parachute. The police noted that they were actively investigating social media posts showing people holding placards supporting Hezbollah, a group proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK government.
A counter-protest also took place nearby, but police successfully maintained a cordon between the two marches to avoid confrontations. However, a small group broke away from the main protest, attempting to approach the counter-protest at Aldwych, which led to three arrests as police intervened. Conditions were later imposed to move the counter-protest group back to Trafalgar Square after tensions grew.
Similar demonstrations took place in Edinburgh, where pro-Palestinian supporters held a silent march, calling for a ceasefire and for both the UK and Scottish governments to impose sanctions on Israel. Meanwhile, on Sunday, a memorial event is set to take place in Hyde Park, organised by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and other groups, as the conflict in the region continues to affect communities in the UK and abroad.
The war in Gaza began on 7th October of the previous year when Hamas gunmen attacked Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel responded with a military campaign in Gaza, which, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, has now resulted in the deaths of at least 41,825 people.
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