UNITED KINGDOM: On Saturday, thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marched through central London, demanding an end to Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip, which was sparked by militant group Hamas’s rampage in Israel the last weekend.
Demonstrators, many of them displaying Palestinian flags and signs bearing the message “Free Palestine,” congregated near Oxford Circus before marching towards Downing Street, which serves as the official residence and workspace of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Chants were directed towards the governments of both the United Kingdom and the United States due to their support for Israel.
Student Belal Stitan, 22, expressed concern for his family in Gaza.
“No one in Gaza is OK. My family is all in Gaza, and none of them are OK,” he said, adding that he missed being able to talk to his cousins about everyday matters like football and their academic performance.
“This situation is a big, big problem for humanity, and for me to have to say to the world, remember that we are human beings …, I can’t believe that we are here,” he added.
Prior to the “March for Palestine,” the police had issued warnings that individuals displaying flags in support of Hamas or other organisations designated as terrorists by the British government would face arrest.
As the protest ended, the police said that seven individuals had been arrested, and among them, four were apprehended for their refusal to take off face masks.
In Trafalgar Square, it appeared that the police detained several individuals. One person allegedly threw an object at a police van during the pro-Palestinian protests near Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square.
While attempting to jump into a fountain in the square, officers pursued him and caught him. This resulted in a confrontation between protesters and Metropolitan Police officers, with a semi-circle forming around the detained person.
A video of a second man being detained in the Whitehall area circulated on social media. The police confirmed that he had been arrested but stated that it was “not for anything in connection with carrying the Union Flag”.
The Metropolitan Police had previously announced the implementation of Section 60AA powers in specific central London areas, which required individuals to remove items like masks that could conceal their identity until 22:00 BST. Under these powers, four arrests were made.
On Saturday evening, the previously imposed conditions, governed by the Public Order Act for managing the march, were lifted. However, specific restrictions preventing gatherings near the Israeli embassy on Kensington High Street remained in effect.
The police said they were aware of people igniting flares or fireworks and stated, “Action will be taken when we identify those in possession of or throwing them.”
As protesters marched towards Westminster, they voiced chants such as “Rishi Sunak, shame on you” and the phrase “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
Television footage depicted a group of protesters engaging in altercations with the police and launching fireworks at them.
During a press briefing on Friday, Met Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor reported a significant surge in antisemitic incidents in London following the Hamas attacks.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak denounced this rise as “disgusting” and stated that any intimidating or threatening conduct would “met with the full force of the law”.
He said that Israel had “every right to defend itself” from Hamas assaults but emphasised that civilian safety must be “paramount in our minds”.
On Saturday, pro-Palestinian demonstrations were held in several other British cities and across the world.
Also Read: Escalation in Israel-Palestine Conflict: Death Toll Rises, Regional Tensions Mount
