A solidarity march with the Palestinians was organized in London on Saturday. During it, a “large group” of people participating in counter-demonstrations called by the far right were detained, the London police said. Saturday’s pro-Palestinian march is stirring emotions as it coincides with this weekend’s Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday, when Britons pay tribute to their fallen soldiers.
The march in solidarity with the Palestinians taking place on the streets of London on Saturday is proceeding peacefully, but a “large group” of people participating in counter-demonstrations organized by the far right have been detained, the London Metropolitan Police reported in the afternoon.
The statement did not specify how many people were taking part in the solidarity march, but the police said only that “the turnout was very large” and that “a larger number of participants was expected” than at all previous such marches, which have been held every Saturday since the Palestinian attack. Hamas organization on Israel.
Solidarity march with Palestinians in London ANDY RAIN/PAP/EPA
Solidarity march with Palestinians in London ANDY RAIN/PAP/EPA
Participants of the solidarity march with Palestine PAP/EPA
Emotions and fears
Saturday’s march in solidarity with the Palestinians is particularly emotional as it coincides with this weekend’s Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday, when Britons pay tribute to their fallen soldiers. For this reason, fears were expressed that war monuments might be desecrated on this occasion. The tension was intensified by the fact that many far-right supporters and football hooligans came to London, claiming that they intended to defend the monuments.
Shortly before 11 local time (10 a.m. in Poland), when the entire country pays tribute to the fallen with two minutes of silence, scuffles broke out between supporters of the far right and the police near The Cenotaph, a monument dedicated to fallen soldiers, where the main ceremonies take place every year .
Among those taking part in the scuffle was Tommy Robinson, founder and former leader of the far-right organization English Defense League (EDL). Bottles were thrown at the police, and the officers used batons to prevent people from approaching the monument.
Tommy RobinsonPAP/EPA
In turn, in Trafalgar Square, activists from the Extinction Rebellion group, calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, laid out several hundred children’s shoes and read the names of approximately 4,100 Palestinian children killed in Israeli retaliatory attacks and 26 Israeli children killed in the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.
Hamas attack on Israel PAP/Reuters – Maciej Zieliński
Main photo source: ANDY RAIN/PAP/EPA