London police had to break up a pro-Palestine rally of over 100,000 protestors this Saturday in Central London. To reduce casualties, over 80 rallygoers were arrested.
The pro-Palestine protests brought out the opposition on Armistice Day, a commemorative day for the end of World War I and Britain’s martyrs.
British PM Rishi Sunak states that holding the rally on Armistice Day is distasteful. The cabinet ministers demanded to call off the rally. The organised march was the largest, showing support for Palestine and a ceasefire in Gaza.
As per police reports, there were significant run-ins between the two groups of protestors at the Cenotaph Memorial near the House of Parliament at Westminster. Several right-wing protestors were throwing bottles at police officers. Police vehicles were responding to skirmishes across the city.
The London Metropolitan Police made 82 arrests of counter-protestors. They helped to keep the peace between the two parties. An additional ten rallygoers are under arrest for other offences.
The London police stated online that they will continue to take measures to avoid conflicts between the two parties. Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London and Humza Yousaf, the Prime Minister of Scotland, blame Suella Braverman for the conflict. Braverman accused police officials of favouring “pro-Palestine mobs” and agitating far-right activists.
Khan states, “The scenes witnessed at the Cenotaph memorial by the far-right activists were a direct result of the Secretary’s word.”
Pro-Palestine Rallies Draw Huge Numbers
London saw a large number of supporters at the pro-Palestine rally. So far, there have not been any incidents regarding these meetings. The police will continue to intervene and not allow the two groups to interact. They will take all measures possible to ensure that the two groups remain separate.
Pro-Palestine supporters were also heard chanting the slogan, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” The Israeli community considers this slogan outrageous and antisemitic and calls for the eradication of Israel. Supporters were also holding banners with slogans such as “Free Palestine”, “Stop the Massacre,” and “Stop Bombing Gaza.” The last stop of the rally was at the U.S. Embassy in London.
The October 7 attack by Hamas against Israel has garnered immense support for the country. However, the response of Israeli forces has also brought about a lot of dissatisfaction among the public. There have been outcries for a ceasefire in the region.
Paris also saw a march of pro-Palestine rallies, with left-wing lawmakers joining in and demanding a ceasefire.
French President Emmanuel Macron gained the support of left-wing policymakers when he supported the call for a ceasefire. According to a BBC interview, Macron opposed Israel’s actions of bombing Gaza.
Senior French lawmakers have called for a rally against antisemitism this Sunday.
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