From the Liveblog of
Saturday, October 28, 2023
Estimated 100,000 in London hold ‘March for Palestine,’ denounce Israeli ‘genocide’
Some 100,000 pro-Palestinian protesters have marched in central London calling for an immediate ceasefire in the deadly war between Israel and Hamas.
It was the third consecutive weekend that the British capital was the venue for a large rally in support of Palestinians since the terrorist onslaught by Hamas on Israel earlier this month.
Israel has vowed to dismantle Hamas in Gaza after its terrorists stormed across the Gaza border on October 7, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and seizing more than 220 hostages.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says Israeli strikes have killed 7,700 people, mainly civilians, with more than 3,500 of them children. But these figures cannot be independently verified and are believed to include Hamas’s own members.
Saturday’s protest in London came as Israel’s army intensified its airstrikes in Gaza and continued a limited ground incursion.
Many demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and chanted slogans including “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, a slogan that amounts to a call for the destruction of Israel.
They also held signs that read “Free Palestine” and “Gaza, stop the massacre,” while some protesters let off fireworks and red and green flares.
Dani Nadiri, 36, said UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s call for a “humanitarian pause” in the fighting to allow aid into Gaza and hostages to leave was not enough.
“A full ceasefire needs to happen,” the TV producer told AFP, adding: “It’s time now to do something rather than let it escalate any further.”
Noori Butt, from Luton in southern England, said she just wanted the war “to end”.
“It can’t go on like this. The world is dying and I want lasting peace for everybody. That’s the way it should be,” the 38-year-old teacher told AFP.
About 100,000 people joined the “March for Palestine,” according to British media which reported that a few demonstrators threw kicks and punches at police officers as they detained someone near the British parliament.
London’s Metropolitan Police, which deployed more than 1,000 officers to patrol the march, said one protester was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an officer.
A man was also arrested for making racist remarks and threats to kill, the force added.
The demonstrators gathered at a central point by the River Thames at midday, before making their way to the UK Parliament in Westminster.
The force had said it would not tolerate any hate crimes during the march.
Expressing support for Palestinians is allowed in Britain but praising Hamas — a banned terrorist organisation in the UK — is not.
Police said officers would intervene if protesters used the word “jihad” in chants.
Nearly 100,000 people attended a similar march in London last Saturday. Thousands also rallied in the British capital on October 14.
Other rallies took place Saturday in Manchester and Glasgow, Scotland.
The UK government’s stance on refraining from calling for a ceasefire is in line with the position of the United States — both say Israel has the right to defend itself within international law.
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said Saturday that Hamas has given no indication it “desires or would abide by calls for a ceasefire”.
