1 of 15 proPalestinian protests in London, England Photo: HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP 2 of 15 proPalestinian demonstrations in New York City, USA, on October 20, 2023 Photo: Michael M. Santiago 3 of 15 ProPalestine Protest in London, England Photo: HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP 4 of 15 ProPalestine protest in Leuven, Belgium Photo: INE GILLIS / BELGA / AFP 5 of 15 ProPalestine protest in Lisbon, Portugal Photo: PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP 6 of 15 ProPalestinian protest in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia Photo: BAY ISMOYO / AFP 7 of 15 ProPalestinian protest in Bucharest, Romania, on October 21, 2023 Photo: Andrei Pungovschi / AFP 8 of 15 9 of 15 10 of 15 11 of 15 12 of 15 13 of 15 14 of 15 15 of 15
Thousands of people gathered at public events in solidarity with the Palestinians
This Saturday (21), proPalestinian public demonstrations took place in several cities around the world.
The latest dispute between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas began on October 7, when Hamas carried out a surprise attack on Israel. This was the most violent action against Israeli territory in the last 50 years. The country’s intelligence services could not have suspected that an offensive of this magnitude was being prepared. Faced with the Hamas offensive, the Israeli government began retaliatory measures. Around 1,400 people died in Hamas’ attack on Israel. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that 4,385 people have died in the territory since the conflict began.
There were public demonstrations in the following cities:
- New York (USA);
- Bucharest, Romania);
- London, United Kingdom);
- Bangkok, Thailand);
- Sydney, Australia);
- Christchurch (New Zealand);
- Karachi, Pakistan);
- Pristina (Republic of Kosovo);
- Pretoria (South Africa);
- Lahore, Pakistan);
- Jakarta, Indonesia);
- Lisbon, Portugal)
One of the largest demonstrations took place in London, United Kingdom, where around 100,000 people took part in a demonstration in the center of the city. They came to the British capital to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza following the Hamas attack on Israel two weeks ago.
Carrying placards and Palestinian flags, protesters chanted “Free Palestine” and marched through London before gathering at Downing Street, the official residence and office of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
“As a Palestinian who would like to return home one day, as a Palestinian who has brothers and sisters in Gaza and a family, I wish we could do more, but protesting is what we can do now,” one woman said refused to give his name to Portal.
Police warned before the rally that anyone expressing support for Hamas, banned as a terrorist organization in the UK, could be arrested and that incidents of hate crime would not be tolerated.
The protest seemed peaceful.