Thousands of pro-Palestinian supporters march through London calling for ceasefire

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More than 10,000 pro-Palestinian supporters marched in central London demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the first demonstration since the United Nations Supreme Court ordered Israel not to commit genocide. Ta.

Scotland Yard estimated around 10,000 demonstrators marched through the capital’s West End, with twice that number expected to attend the Whitehall speech.

Hundreds of Metropolitan Police officers were on duty with additional dispersal powers as the march began in Portland Place and headed towards Whitehall.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) said this was a statement from the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign (PSC) following Hamas’s brutal massacre on October 7, in which 1,200 people were killed and more than 240 were kidnapped before Israel retaliated with months of attacks on Gaza. This is the 8th national march held for the people. They stripped people of their clothes and killed and injured thousands of people.

It comes as the UK becomes increasingly embroiled in rising tensions in the Middle East, with Britain and the US attacking Houthi targets in Yemen in response to attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

Iraq on Saturday attacked seven 85 facilities in Syria and Iraq in retaliation for a drone strike that killed three American soldiers and injured dozens in northeastern Jordan last week. warned that it was on the “brink of the abyss”.

Demonstrators in London held up banners on Saturday that read “Stop the killing,” “Free the children” and “Freedom for Palestine,” along with harrowing images of the bloodshed since the conflict broke out.

A spokesperson said officers were on the lookout for offensive placards and banners, and staff were also monitoring protests on CCTV to advertise other offenses and spot suspects. It is said that

“We are marching again because we know we are on the right side of history, and we will always stand on the side of the oppressed and never on the side of the oppressors,” PSC coach Ben Jamal said. said.

More than 27,000 people have been killed and more than 66,000 injured in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-controlled health ministry said Thursday.

Speaking ahead of the march, Deputy Chief Constable Matt Ward, who heads up policing, said: “We respect people’s right to protest, but so do other Londoners and visitors.

“I understand that the repeated protests since October have had a cumulative impact on businesses, residents and people wishing to travel to the West End. It is important to strike a balance between competing rights. It can be difficult, but we do it independently, impartially, and always within the law.”

Britain said earlier this week that future funding for the United Nations relief agency supporting Palestinians would depend on the outcome of an investigation into allegations that its staff took part in the October 7 attack on Israel.

Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell said the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) was “crucial” in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza and the region, but Britain accused its staff of being involved in atrocities. He added that he was “appalled” by the allegations.

Britain joined the United States, Australia, Italy and others in suspending funding to UNRWA after the agency sacked several staff members for taking part in the October attacks. The suspension of funding has raised concerns about the impact the decision will have on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Meanwhile, several opposition MPs are pressuring the UK government to halt arms sales to Israel following an interim ruling from the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Although the ICJ did not order a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip due to the genocide committed by South Africa, it did call on Israel to make efforts to limit the number of deaths and damage caused by military attacks.

Additional report by PA