Pro-Palestinian demonstrations around the world “Year of Genocide”, “Stop the armament of Israel”

October 7 will mark one year since the Hamas terrorist attack on… Israelapproximately 1,200 people died and 251 were taken hostage. More than 41,000 people have died since then as a result of the Israeli military response. inhabitants of the Gaza Strip.

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Tens of thousands of people took part in the march organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) in London, which took place two days before the anniversary of the attack on Israel by the Palestinian organization Hamas. They called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and an end to the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.

Fifteen people were arrested in London on Saturday in connection with a demonstration of solidarity with the Palestinians and a counter-demonstration, the London Metropolitan Police reported. The police do not rule out further arrests. The police specified that three people were arrested for assaulting officers, three for assault, seven for offenses against public order, one for violating the terms of the Public Order Act and one for supporting a banned organization.

The police assessed that the march was peaceful considering the number of people, but added that they had to create a protective cordon when a small group broke away from the main pro-Palestinian demonstration and tried to approach a counter-demonstration called by the Stop the Hate organization. The protesters had banners with the words: “Free Palestine”, “Stop arming Israel”.

On Sunday, a ceremony will be held in London's Hyde Park to commemorate the Jews who were killed in the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations took place in Berlin on Saturday. There were fights between protesters of both demonstrations, the Tagesschau portal reported.

About 500-600 people took part in the pro-Israel demonstration, according to information from the Berlin police. The protesters carried Israeli flags and banners. One of them had the inscription: “Against the anti-Semitic international,” it was written on the rbb website. In turn, during the pro-Palestinian demonstration, texts by Palestinian writers were read. The action took place under the slogan “Year of genocide – the world is watching. Against police violence.”

More demonstrations are planned in Berlin in the coming days. Pro-Palestinian groups will gather in the Neukoelln district on Sunday to express their opposition to Israel's attacks. At the same time, supporters of Israel will protest in front of the Brandenburg Gate.

On Monday, on the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel, in the capital German there will be a peace demonstration. Berlin police announced that about 2,000 officers will protect the event.

In Rome, there were clashes with the police on Saturday during a pro-Palestinian demonstration with the participation of approximately 5,000 people, banned by the city authorities. The police used tear gas and water cannons against aggressive march participants. The officers were pelted with stones and bottles, attacked with sticks and had road signs torn out. The Ansa agency reports that a demonstrator was injured in the head.

The participants of the rally, including representatives of the Palestinian community, shouted against the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and the head of the Italian government, Giorgia Meloni. They demanded a halt to arms sales to Israel.

On Saturday, thousands of people protested against Israel's policy also in Cape Town in front of the South African parliament, and in Johannesburg in front of the US consulate, calling for isolating the Jewish state in the international arena.

Protesters carried banners saying: “Do not buy or supply anything to Israel” and “Boycott apartheid Israel.” It called for sanctions against Israel for “war crimes” and for implementation in legislation South Africa International Convention UN on combating and punishing the crime of apartheid. The so-called Apartheid Convention dates back to 1976 and was aimed at the system of racial discrimination in South Africa, but according to many lawyers and politicians of the South African country, it could be a legal basis for imposing sanctions also on Israel.

Representatives of the Jewish community in South Africa also participated in the protests. Megan Choritz, an actress and member of South African Jews for a Free Palestine (SAJFP), said members of her organization were “absolutely horrified and devastated by the atrocities committed” by Israel. She also supported the boycott of goods imported from Israel and the imposition of sanctions on it.

Meanwhile, the South African Zionist Federation (SAZF), which is in opposition to the SAJFP, issued a statement on Saturday condemning the march in Cape Town. “This march, based on baseless accusations of genocide against Israel, not only promotes dangerous lies, but also trivializes real cases of genocide in history,” it said.

The federation itself is organizing a meeting on Monday to commemorate the massacre committed by Hamas on the inhabitants of the Israeli Kibbutz Kefar Azza on October 7, 2023, and to demand the release of Israeli hostages still held by Palestinian fighters.

Also in Johannesburg's Sandton district, hundreds of people gathered in front of the US consulate on Saturday to protest against Israel. The United States was accused of arming and supporting Israel in the bombing of the Gaza Strip.

In Manila, activists clashed with police on Saturday after they were prevented from demonstrating in front of the US embassy to protest against the US supplying weapons to Israel. United States.

Further demonstrations are also planned, among others: in the United States and Chile.