Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marched through central London on Saturday, reiterating calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The protest marked the 76th anniversary of what Palestinians refer to as the Nakba – the mass displacement of people after the creation of Israel in 1948.
The Metropolitan Police said it had held “regular discussions” with organizers, the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign (PSC), to minimize disruption.
According to BBC, a counterdemonstration by pro-Israel group Enough is Enough, took place at Piccadilly Circus at the same time.
The Metropolitan Police stated that seven arrests were made during the PSC event. It added that officers also intervened in incidents involving “offensive placards and chants, violence and sexual assault”.
“One man was arrested for “carrying a coffin with offensive language on it”,” the Police added.
“Another man, 22, was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an officer.
At the counterdemonstration, police said a 74-year-old man was arrested on “suspicion of a provocation of violence”.
Ch Supt Colin Wingrove, leading this weekend’s policing operation, said police “made swift interventions to make arrests where criminal offences were suspected”.
The pro-Palestinian march was the 14th of such event held in London since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October. Since the start of hostilities between Israel and Hamas, 1,200 people have been killed and more than 240 kidnapped.
Recall that after the October 7, attack, Israel launched an offensive in Gaza. The attacks have killed more than 35,000 people, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
A counterdemonstration, organized by Enough is Enough, was held at Piccadilly Circus, BBC reported.
“Demonstrators, some carrying “ceasefire now” placards, were heard singing and chanting as they made their way from Regent’s Street to Whitehall, where they gathered for speeches.
According to BBC, one protester, Sandi, a Palestinian who has family in Gaza, said that she had not heard from her relatives there for the last 10 days.
“The internet connection is down. So, sometimes it’s longer – weeks – that I don’t hear from them,” she told the BBC.
“Like everyone else in Gaza, they’re suffering from a lack of safety, access to food, internet, medical aid and freedom of movement.”
The PSC said demonstrators were calling “again for action to end the genocide in Gaza”.
Recall that the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is considering a case against Israel brought by South Africa. The country had in January accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza.
However, Israel has rejected the claim as false and “grossly distorted”.
“The ICJ is not expected to deliver a ruling on the genocide case for several years,” BBC said.
source: BBC News