UNITED KINGDOM: Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators have taken to the streets in London and across the UK, calling for a cessation of Israel’s attacks in Gaza.
In London, protesters gathered, displaying flags and banners while demanding an immediate end to the bombing.
There have been nine detentions, some of which are being investigated for potential hate crimes.
Similar protests occurred in cities such as Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast, and others.
It comes after the recent escalation in the conflict between Hamas and Israel.
Israel has escalated its military operations, three weeks after a cross-border attack by Hamas resulted in the loss of 1,400 lives and the kidnapping of 229 individuals.
Since then, the Gaza health ministry, controlled by Hamas, reports that over 7,500 Palestinians have been casualties of Israeli retaliatory strikes.
In the past three weekends, significant protests have occurred in major cities across the UK.
On Saturday afternoon, a gathering formed near the Golden Jubilee Bridge, displaying signs bearing messages such as “Gaza, stop the massacre” and “Free Palestine, end Israeli occupation”.
A sound system guided the crowd in chants like “Stop arming Israel. Stop bombing Gaza” and “We are all Palestinian”.
In the crowd, some individuals chanted “from the river to the sea,” which alludes to the region between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean. The UK Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, had previously suggested that police chiefs consider interpreting this as an “expression of a violent desire to see Israel erased from the world.” Israel and the majority of Jewish groups agree.
However, the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign and other activists contest this interpretation, asserting that the slogan signifies “the right of all Palestinians to freedom, equality, and justice”.
Over 1,000 Metropolitan Police officers were deployed across London.
Out of the nine arrests that took place, seven were related to alleged public order violations, with some potentially categorised as hate crimes, and two were for suspected assaults on officers.
Earlier in the day, the Met Police reported that one individual had been apprehended in Whitehall for assaulting an officer. The injured officer is currently hospitalised with a head laceration but is reported to be in good spirits, as indicated in a Met Police post that featured a photo of the officer giving a thumbs up with a bandaged head.
Furthermore, another individual was arrested on Waterloo Road on suspicion of engaging in a racially aggravated public order offence and making threats to kill.
Close to Downing Street, officers were seen detaining an individual, which led to altercations with demonstrators, resulting in punches and kicks being exchanged. Police directed the demonstrators to disperse, and one person was carried away while fellow protesters chanted, “Let him go.”
Scotland Yard has issued an appeal to identify two women associated with an alleged hate crime incident in Trafalgar Square.
Throughout Saturday, the police exercised public order authorities to prevent demonstrators from congregating outside the Israeli embassy.
Additionally, they have extended their powers until midnight, allowing officers to conduct searches on individuals or vehicles for weapons or potentially dangerous items. They can also demand that people remove items that are used to conceal their identity, mainly within the City of Westminster, Kensington, and Chelsea.
On Saturday evening, the police stated on X, previously known as Twitter, that they were monitoring a group gathered at Piccadilly Circus and would employ separate authorities to disperse anyone engaging in anti-social behaviour.
In other parts of the UK, numerous individuals attended a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside Manchester’s Central Library located in St Peter’s Square.
On Friday, the Mayor of the region, Andy Burnham, joined the global chorus in urging “a ceasefire from all parties and the safe release of hostages.”
Approximately 3,000 protesters congregated in Belfast City Centre, commencing a rally that proceeded along Royal Avenue and concluded at City Hall.
In Glasgow, a sea of Palestinian flags was visible, as thousands gathered in the heart of the city’s George Square, demanding an immediate ceasefire. Some participants in the crowd climbed onto statues and monuments.
During the previous weekend, a similar number of officers were involved in overseeing protests in London, resulting in the arrest of 10 individuals on that day.
A video later surfaced online depicting a pro-Palestinian protester chanting “jihad” at a smaller demonstration near the primary march last weekend. However, the Metropolitan Police stated that they had not identified any offences stemming from that specific video.
This led Suella Braverman to question Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley about the absence of arrests.
Ahead of the demonstrations this weekend, the police force announced that officers would be required to take action if protesters incorporated the term “jihad” into their chants.
“Jihad,” in its literal Arabic sense, means “effort” or “struggle.” In Islam, the primary interpretation involves an individual’s internal struggle, such as their endeavour to live in accordance with their faith.
It can also encompass an external struggle or conflict, which, according to Islamic teachings, must be a defensive act within defined boundaries.
Also Read: Israeli Forces Launch Ground Operations in Gaza in Ongoing Conflict with Hamas
