Thousands march in London near parliament
Thousands of people took to the streets of London, Berlin, Dublin and Rome on Saturday in pro-palestinian marches against Israel’s attacks on Gaza. In London, several thousand marchers carried placards reading “End the genocide” and “Free Palestine” as they crossed Westminster Bridge and moved along the route near the British parliament.
“We are here today to mark three years of the ongoing genocide in Gaza,” Aimee Shalan, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, told AFP. She said Western sanctions over settler violence did not go far enough and called for “full sanctions on Israel”.
London’s Metropolitan Police said it had arrested 20 people, including two carrying material in support of the banned group Palestine Action. A small counter-demonstration was organised by Stop The Hate UK, a Jewish-led, pro-Israel campaign group. Ahead of the protest, police used public order powers to require anyone wearing a face covering to hide their identity to remove it.
“We will take a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime and other offending,” said senior Met officer Carl Galvin.
Pro-palestinian marches spread to Berlin, Dublin and Rome
In Berlin, a similar march organised by the group United for Palestine drew around 3,500 people as it set off from a square between the chancellery and parliament, according to police. Many denounced Germany’s arms exports to Israel. “I find it really terrible that Germany finds it so difficult to criticise Israel,” a student told AFP, asking not to be named.
For decades, resolute support for Israel has been treated as a fundamental German duty, largely because of Nazi Germany’s responsibility for the genocide of millions of European Jews during the Holocaust.
In Dublin, protesters joined a march organised by the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign. In Rome, pro-Palestinian protesters gathered to demand an end to Israeli military operations in Gaza, waving Palestinian flags and holding a banner calling for sanctions and an embargo. Reuters photographers captured protesters filling the Italian capital’s streets with Palestinian colours.
The marches came three days after the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023 attack, the deadliest in Israel’s history. The attack killed 1,221 people, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Fighters also dragged 251 captives into Gaza, 44 of them already dead.
The war behind the protests
A ceasefire began a year ago, and although Israel has reduced its level of attacks, it has kept striking Gaza on a near-daily basis. Strikes have killed some 1,450 Palestinians since the ceasefire, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Gaza’s health ministry says more than 74,200 Palestinians have been killed in the subsequent Israeli offensive. UN Women has reported that tens of thousands of women and girls are among the casualties in Gaza, underscoring the civilian toll that drew thousands onto European streets on Saturday.
The London march kept up pressure on Britain’s government over Gaza policy. Israel recently shut the British consulate in Jerusalem after a diplomatic deadline dispute, a sign of how strained relations remain. In Pakistan, JI chief Hafiz Naeem has made Palestine a priority under the Makkah pact framework, reflecting how the war continues to shape political debate far beyond Europe.
Frequently asked questions
Why were people marching in London, Berlin, Dublin and Rome?
The marches marked three years of the war in Gaza and called for an end to Israel’s military operations there. Protesters carried Palestinian flags and demanded sanctions and an arms embargo on Israel.
How many people were arrested at the London march?
London’s Metropolitan Police said 20 people were arrested, including two carrying material linked to the banned group Palestine Action. Police used public order powers to require face coverings to be removed.
What did protesters in Berlin demand?
Around 3,500 people marched from a square between the chancellery and parliament, many denouncing Germany’s arms exports to Israel. Germany’s long-standing support for Israel as a matter of historical duty came under criticism from demonstrators.
Is there a ceasefire in Gaza?
A ceasefire began a year ago, but Israel has kept striking Gaza on a near-daily basis. Gaza’s health ministry says about 1,450 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began.
