Tens of thousands of individuals supporting Palestine have gathered in London as a part of an international day of protest involving 30 nations.
Many police officers are working in the capital city on Saturday. Protesters have been told that they will be arrested if they deliberately exceed the boundaries with their signs and chants.
Protesters gathered on Queen Victoria Street and then proceeded down Fleet Street.
Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, accused the British government of being “complicit” with Israel during a speech at Parliament Square.
Zomlot told the protesters Palestine was a “nation of freedom fighters”, saying: “I stand before you with a broken heart but not a broken spirit.”
He praised South Africa for initiating a legal case against Israel for genocide at the United Nations’ international court of justice.
The demonstration follows the airstrikes conducted by the UK and the US on Houthi bases in Yemen.
The group supported by Iran has continuously attacked commercial ships in the Red Sea following Israel’s conflict with Hamas following the attack on October 7th.
The Metropolitan police reported a “substantial number of officers” present in London to monitor the protest on Saturday, with approximately 1,700 on duty. This included officers from various police forces outside of London.
The police stated that several requirements were established for the event, including: all participants must stay on the designated route during the procession; the speeches at the assembly following the procession must conclude by 4:30pm and the entire event must be finished by 5pm; and no protester may enter the vicinity of the Israeli embassy.
The Secretary of State for Home Affairs, James Cleverly, stated that he was informed by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, about strategies to maintain order and ensure safety during the demonstration.
The Member of Parliament stated that they support the use of their authority to handle the protest and suppress any unlawful behavior.
The seventh annual Palestine March will include a special appearance by Little Amal, a large puppet representing a Syrian refugee child, who will be joining a group of Palestinian children.
The 3.5-meter marionette gained global recognition as a representation of human rights when she traveled 5,000 miles (8,000km) from the Turkish-Syrian border to Manchester in July 2021.
Source: theguardian.com
