Half a million people filled the streets of London on Saturday in a pro-Palestinian protest that was one of the largest demonstrations ever held in the city, as a group of Americans stood watch over Joe Biden’s Delaware home.
Hundreds of thousands of protesters also marched against the war between Israel and Hamas on Saturday in Paris, Brussels, Barcelona, Cape Town, Dublin and more, with most calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The London protest coincided with Armistice Day, where British citizens commemorate soldiers who died in the First World War.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the timing of the demonstration was disrespectful, while other ministers had called for the march to be cancelled. Home Secretary Suella Braverman called the protesters “hate protesters” in an opinion piece published in The Times of London. Many protesters carried signs that said, “Hello Suella, this is a march for the movement.”
But while some protesters carried signs reading “Free Palestine,” “Stop the massacre” and “Stop bombing Gaza,” there was also chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” The rallying cry is considered anti-Semitic because it implies a call for the eradication of Israel.
Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets of London, Paris, Brussels and other cities on Saturday to call for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Metropolitan police arrested about 80 protesters.
Before the march, police also detained 82 counterprotesters.
Police estimated the crowd to be around 300,000, but event organizers claimed the crowd reached 500,000.
While it was the largest, the march in London was not the only demonstration on Saturday.
In neighboring Wales, Welsh communists advanced through Cardiff holding red flags as they marched for a ceasefire. More than 20,000 people took part in a demonstration in Brussels, where some protesters demanded that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be arrested for war crimes.
In the United States, protesters gathered outside Biden’s home in Delaware on Veterans Day. A video on social media shows them chanting: “Cease fire now, cease fire now!” and holding signs that said: “No more [money] for genocide” and Palestinian flags. FOX NEWS
Some 30,000 protesters in Barcelona filled the city center, many of them carrying large Palestinian flags and signs reading “Liberate Palestine” and “Stop Genocide.” A group of about 100 people occupied a train station in the city on Saturday afternoon after the demonstration, which ended up closing the station for several hours.
Paris also experienced its fifth consecutive weekend of protests calling for a ceasefire and a “free Palestine.”
Biden was in Delaware on Saturday and was expected to stay at his Wilmington home. AFP via Getty Images
In the United States, protesters gathered outside Biden’s home in Delaware on Veterans Day, Fox News reported.
A video on social media showed them chanting: “Cease fire now, cease fire now!” and holding signs that said: “No more [money] for genocide” and waving Palestinian flags.
Thousands of people in Barcelona also took to the streets, many of them carrying large Palestinian flags and signs reading “Liberate Palestine.” AP
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah seized on the demonstrations as a condemnation of US and UK support for Israel. “We see thousands of people in Washington, New York, London and Paris protesting against Israel. The only voice that stands out is that of the United States and its ‘follower’ the United Kingdom.”
More than 20,000 people took part in a demonstration in Brussels, where some protesters demanded that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be arrested for war crimes. AFP via Getty Images
He pressured leaders at the Arab-Islamic summit in Saudi Arabia to pressure the United States to withdraw its support, the Times of Israel reported.
Thousands of people also marched Saturday night in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other Israeli cities to demand terrorist groups release the 240 hostages taken against their will by Hamas terrorists on October 7.
With mail cables.
Categories: Trending
Source: vtt.edu.vn