Tens of thousands took to the streets of the British capital London on Saturday in a fresh declaration of support for international efforts to force an end to Israel’s brutal military campaign in Gaza amid signs that the conflict is spreading to Yemen.
People from different walks of life and representing various religious and ethnic communities gathered in the Bank Junction in central London to start marching toward the Parliament Square where many British government offices are located.
Protesters chanted slogans demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, where Israel has killed nearly 24,000 people since early October when it launched an aggression on the enclave in response to a brief operation by the Gaza-based Hamas movement.
Protesters also called for an end to the British government’s arms exports to Israel while urging an immediate decision to expel the regime’s ambassador from London.
The demonstrators chanted “end the occupation” and “free Palestine.” Some wore masks depicting the faces of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden while raising their hands covered in red to represent the blood of innocent Palestinians being spilled in Gaza with support offered by the United Kingdom and the United States.
The march was one of the biggest pro-Palestine demonstrations held on Saturdays in Britain in the past 14 weeks.
Polls suggest nearly 80% of people in England and many more in other UK regions, including in Scotland, support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
That comes as the British government has completely ignored public sentiments by declaring that Israeli regime has a right to continue its brutal war in Gaza.
In a ramp-up of its support for the regime, the UK joined US airstrikes early on Friday on targets controlled by Yemen’s ruling Houthis in response to the Yemeni attacks on ships linked to Israel in recent weeks.
Experts have warned the airstrikes and the subsequent attacks on Yemen from US warships could well widen the conflict and cause it to spread to areas beyond Palestine.
