Hundreds of thousands attend pro-Palestine rally in London
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) has said that some 400,000 people attended their 10th national march for Palestine in central London.
The group also pushed back against the UK government’s counter-extremism commissioner who had said that pro-Palestine rallies turn London into a “no-go zone for Jews” during the weekend.
“13 different Jewish organisations were part of the National March for Palestine in London today, giving the lie to those who claim it is not a safe space,” PSC said in a post on X.
PSC Chair Louise Regan addressing the crowd of 400k ✊🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/5mo2FDIU1v
— Palestine Solidarity Campaign (@PSCupdates) March 9, 2024
13 different Jewish organisations were part of the National March for Palestine in London today, giving the lie to those who claim it is not a safe space. As Ruth Lukom explains, none of us are free until all of us are free 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸 #CeasefireNOW pic.twitter.com/hekarZUP3U
— Palestine Solidarity Campaign (@PSCupdates) March 9, 2024
UK MP criticises media coverage of pro-Palestinian marches
UK MP Diane Abbot has criticised media coverage of pro-Palestinian protests after demonstrations in London on Saturday. “Yet another completely peaceful march calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Media and right-wing politicians need to stop denigrating these marchers,” Abbot, an independent MP, said in a post on X.
Abbot served as a Labour MP for more than three decades until she was stripped of the party whip last year over a newspaper letter she wrote arguing that Jewish people and other groups are not subject to racism “all their lives” like Black people are.
Yet another completely peaceful march calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Media and right wing politicians need to stop denigrating these marchers
https://t.co/ZnUossrfVM
— Diane Abbott (@HackneyAbbott) March 9, 2024
Arrests as Tel Aviv protests call for Netanyahu to step down
[I’m standing in front of] what’s known as Hostage Square. Family members of the captives started protesting here 22 weeks ago, saying they have one goal: to release the captives from Gaza.
There was also another much bigger protest in a place called Kaplan Square – the centre of the intelligence ministries and the Ministry of Defence in Tel Aviv. Protesters there were blocking highways and there were some arrests.
They are really calling for much stronger things and the rhetoric really shifted to anger. They want Netanyahu to step down. They want fresh elections to be held. They want to see some sort of ceasefire to take place in Gaza to release those captives and they want a political solution.
These protests have been led recently by what’s known as the Kaplan force. They are more centre-left, many of them are former soldiers, and they were involved in the judicial overhaul protests, which were seeing hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets last year.
Israeli forces spray water on antigovernment protests in Tel Aviv on Saturday night
