Tens of Thousands Demand Permanent Gaza Ceasefire in Central London
Central London saw a massive turnout as tens of thousands of people gathered to demand a lasting ceasefire in Gaza.
The National March for Palestine, coinciding with a truce between Israel and Hamas, demanded an end to the siege of Gaza and celebrated the release of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign estimated that around 300,000 individuals participated, calling for an end to the siege.
Protests and solidarity marches have been organized in London and cities worldwide since the outbreak of the Israel-Palestine conflict seven weeks ago.
Notably, five individuals were arrested by the Metropolitan Police for distributing literature with a swastika inside a Star of David, deemed offensive and inciting racial hatred.
To ensure order at the event, 1,500 police officers were deployed.
Additionally, officers provided clarity on unacceptable behaviour and offences by handing out leaflets to march participants, while peaceful protesters held banners with messages like “Ceasefire Now!” and “Stop the War on Gaza”.
In a related development, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak dismissed Home Secretary Suella Braverman who had made controversial remarks on the pro-Palestine protests, calling them “hate marches” and criticizing the police for being too lenient with protesters.
