A tense British capital noticed Saturday lots of of hundreds of individuals march in solidarity with Palestinians demanding an instantaneous cease-fire and an finish monthlong Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip.
An enormous crowd gathered in London’s Hyde Park to name for a cease-fire whereas protesting Israel and people governments which have but to name for a cease-fire in Gaza, the place the dying toll has climbed to over 11,100 individuals.
Carrying Palestinian flags and indicators, hundreds of individuals after gathering at Hyde Park marched towards the U.S. Embassy whereas chanting pro-Palestine slogans.
A lot of British Jews additionally gathered close to the Bolivar Statue to protest Israel, becoming a member of hundreds of different protesters calling for an finish to bloodshed within the besieged enclave.
Palestinian Ambassador to the U.Okay., Husam Zomlot, Former Labour Party chief Jeremy Corbyn, Labour MP John McDonnell in addition to representatives of main nongovernment organizations and unions additionally attended to the National March for Palestine.
The large march got here following days of controversy, because the pro-Palestine march coincided with Armistice Day through which the two-minute silence was noticed on Whitehall.
Several far-right teams that earlier introduced they might arrive Saturday in London to “protect the Cenotaph war memorial,” clashed with police.
English Defence League (EDL) founder Tommy Robinson was seen main supporters by way of central London.
Gathering close to Parliament Square, the group threw projectiles and insulted officers.
They additionally attacked an onlooker with a Palestinian flag. Some later tried to burn a Palestinian flag, whereas others tore down pro-Palestinian indicators.
Hundreds of officers took measure to guard protesters who had been returning the pro-Palestinian protest whereas far-right teams insulted Islam and Muslims, accusing the protesters of being “Hamas supporters,” and “terrorists.”
Metropolitan Police stated 126 had been arrested and 9 officers had been injured.
“Many in these groups were stopped and searched and weapons including a knife, a baton and knuckleduster were found as well as class A drugs,” stated police.
It added that officers intercepted a gaggle of 150 pro-Palestinian protesters who had been sporting face coverings and firing fireworks. Arrests had been made after a number of the fireworks struck officers.
Later, a conflict occurred at Trafalgar Square between pro-Palestinian protesters and a gaggle of far-right demonstrators.
‘Wholly unacceptable’
The British prime minister launched an announcement condemning the violence on the protests.
“I condemn the violent, wholly unacceptable scenes we have seen today from the EDL and associated groups and Hamas sympathizers attending the National March for Palestine,” stated Rishi Sunak.
Referring to assaults by police on far-right teams, Sunak famous that what is occurring doesn’t defend the “honor of our Armed Forces, but utterly disrespects them.”
“All criminality must be met with the full and swift force of the law,” he stated, including he would have a gathering with the top of Metropolitan Police, Mark Rowley, within the coming days.
Earlier, Sunak known as Saturday’s pro-Palestinian demonstration “disrespectful,” with an Armistice Day service scheduled on the identical day.
Sunak famous that he would maintain the Metropolitan Police chief accountable for permitting the demonstration on Armistice Day.
Home secretary slammed
Meanwhile, Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf accused Home Secretary Suella Braverman for the violence amid the Armistice Day ceremony.
“The far-right has been emboldened by the Home Secretary. She has spent her week fanning the flames of division,” he stated.
“The Home Secretary’s position is untenable,” he wrote on X. “She must resign.”
Braverman has sparked widespread outrage after calling the protests “hate marches.”
Later she wrote an article within the Times, asserting: “I do not believe that these marches are merely a cry for help for Gaza.”
“They are an assertion of primacy by certain groups – particularly Islamists – of the kind we are more used to seeing in Northern Ireland,” she wrote.
Source: www.dailysabah.com