On Saturday, a large number of individuals paraded through central London to demonstrate support for Palestine and to emphasize the need for a truce in Gaza.
Protesters gathered on Queen Victoria Street and marched along Fleet Street towards Parliament Square. The demonstration was in support of a global day of action and was in response to the RAF and US military conducting airstrikes on Houthi bases in Yemen.
The event was organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, who stated that “hundreds of thousands” of individuals participated in the march.
Little Amal, a 12ft giant puppet of a Syrian child refugee, accompanied protesters as they marched towards Parliament Square. Amir Nizar Zuabi, the artistic director of Walk With Amal, was among the marchers.
He stated that Amal, a 10-year-old Syrian child, serves as a symbol for all refugee children.
Zuabi identifies as Palestinian. He stated, “The terms ‘refugees’ and ‘Palestine’ are nearly interchangeable. Our refugee population has been in existence for a significant amount of time, making it one of the longest-standing in the world. In Gaza, there is a significant number of refugees, including those from Jaffa and the coastal areas of Palestine, who are now living in refugee camps and continue to face targeted attacks.”
The speaker emphasized that it is painfully evident that there is a significant number of children being specifically targeted.
The Palestinian ambassador to the UK, Husam Zomlot, spoke at Parliament Square and accused the British government of aiding Israel. He described Palestine as a nation of individuals fighting for freedom and expressed his sadness but not defeat.
He commended South Africa for pursuing a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice at the United Nations.
Mary Lou McDonald, the president of Sinn Féin, stated in London that the liberation of Palestine is achievable.
She stated that by speaking these words while in London and in solidarity with others, who have also experienced their own journey out of conflict and have been working towards peace for 25 years, this can become a reality.
“We will make sure that this occurs as planned.”
Hundreds of police officers were on duty in the capital on Saturday. The Met said officers from forces outside London were brought in. Users on social media reported that the Met was handing out flyers warning people to “keep on the right side of the law”, noting that “while the majority of people are complying with these rules, a minority have crossed the line”.
Three individuals were apprehended for allegedly expressing backing for a banned group, which is considered a violation of the Terrorism Act. Additionally, two arrests were made for carrying “offensive placards”. A sixth person was detained for possessing stickers intended for criminal mischief.
The Metropolitan Police has established several requirements, such as: all participants in the procession must stay on the designated route; speeches at the gathering after the procession must conclude by 4:30pm and the entire event must end by 5pm; no protester is allowed to enter the vicinity of the Israeli embassy.
This is the seventh annual National March for Palestine organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign since October.
Source: theguardian.com
