Over the weekend, a gathering of thousands of individuals advocating for the rights of Palestinians took place in Parliament Square, London. This assembly aimed to advocate for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The demonstrators marched from Bank Junction to Westminster, holding aloft signs emblazoned with messages such as “Free Palestine” and “End the siege”. Additionally, there were vocal chants that included the incendiary phrases “One, two, three, four, occupation no more, five, six, seven, eight, Israel is a terrorist state” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”.
A total of 13 protesters were arrested by the Metropolitan police, largely due to the display of offensive placards. Among them, one woman was apprehended after being identified by the force’s specialist Voyager CCTV monitoring team as being wanted for an offence committed during a previous protest held on 28 October.
The United Kingdom’s abstention on a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, a motion that was ultimately vetoed by the United States, has elicited criticism from activists. Nadim Hussami, a Lebanese-American, expressed the view that the government must take a firm stance in demanding a ceasefire. “They should ask for an immediate ceasefire and not veto or abstain from UN Security Council resolutions,” he insisted.
Jocelyn Cruywagen, a South African citizen, drew parallels between the struggles of her own people and the plight of the Palestinians. “We were oppressed by white people, as black South Africans we had to fight for our freedoms, we are still not entirely free,” she reflected. “It takes so much time. The words of Mandela are, if the Palestinians are not free, we cannot be free, the world cannot be free.” She urged the government to advocate for a “permanent ceasefire” and the restoration of land to the Palestinians, adding that “the wall needs to come down”.
Meanwhile, Kelly Hunter, a 60-year-old participant in the march, expressed a sense of helplessness in light of the ongoing crisis. “I have come on every single one, I am a Londoner,” she stated. “I feel helpless, I can’t sleep at night.”
These demonstrations in London have attracted multitudes of supporters and dissenters over the past few weekends, underscoring the fervent emotions and strong opinions that the Israel-Palestine conflict continues to evoke across the globe.
