Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters are marching by way of central London at present, though a ceasefire settlement between Israel and Hamas has come into impact.
It marks the thirty second nationwide demonstration in assist of Palestine since October 2023, based on organiser Palestine Solidarity Marketing campaign (PSC), with protesters setting off from Embankment at noon for a march ending in a rally in Whitehall.
Organisers are anticipated to name for the ceasefire, which was introduced by US President Donald Trump, to grow to be a everlasting settlement.
A counter protest organised by Cease The Hate is happening on the junction of Aldwych and the Strand.
Situations have been imposed on each demonstrations by the Met Police, which set out particular areas protesters can collect and the routes they will march on.
PSC director Ben Jamal stated pro-Palestine protests will likely be held much less often if the ceasefire holds – however believes it’s ‘not a viable path to ending a long time of apartheid’ in Gaza.
‘We share the massive aid of Palestinians {that a} ceasefire is now taking impact,’ he stated.
‘Nevertheless, we additionally know that Israel has violated each ceasefire settlement it has ever signed.
A Cease The Hate counter protest demonstrator speaks to an individual collaborating in a Palestine Solidarity Marketing campaign march from Victoria Embankment to Downing Road
Officers from the Met Police have been pressured to intervene and escort a number of counter-protesters, holding indicators that learn ‘We stand with British Jews’ away from the scnee
Professional-Palestine protesters are seen in central London on Saturday, a day after a peace deal was reached between Israel and Hamas
Professional-Palestine protesters collect in central London on Saturday afternoon as they march in direction of Whitehall
Individuals maintain indicators studying ‘Cease the genocide’ as they protest in assist of Palestinians at present
A protester holds an indication depicting two halves of a face – one is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the opposite is Adolf Hitler
Demonstrators from the ‘Palestine Coalition’ collect in assist for Palestinians, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza went into impact, in London at present
‘Within the final two years now we have seen Israel commit a live-streamed genocide in Gaza that has killed not less than 67,000 Palestinians, together with 20,000 kids. And now we have seen our governments, Conservative and Labour, proceed to arm and politically assist Israel.
‘We are going to maintain protesting and campaigning all around the UK to finish the complicity of our authorities, public our bodies and companies with Israel’s crimes underneath worldwide regulation.’
However campaigners in opposition to anti-Semitism have argued that protests ought to now not go forward as they haven’t any official purpose.
On Saturday hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters gathered alongside Victoria Embankment to the sound of drums, forward of an illustration to mark two years of the warfare in Gaza.
Stalls have been promoting keffiyehs and out of doors Embankment station folks have been handing out placards that stated ‘from the river to the ocean, Palestine will likely be free’, ‘it is not against the law to behave in opposition to genocide’ and ‘Starmer has blood on his fingers, free Palestine’.
Round lunchtime, police ushered away a number of folks carrying placards that stated ‘we stand with Britain’s Jews’, taking them out of the group of pro-Palestine protesters.
Shouts of ‘disgrace’ and ‘free Palestine’ got here loudly from the pro-Palestine crowd gathered alongside Victoria Embankment, which at that time numbered within the tens of hundreds.
Saying plans for its policing this weekend, the Met made reference to latest Authorities proposals to provide police better powers to limit repeat protests however stated that ‘right now, the regulation stays unchanged’.
The measures introduced final weekend comply with frequent pro-Palestinian demonstrations, together with in London and Manchester final Saturday.
The Met stated 492 folks have been arrested eventually week’s protest in Trafalgar Sq., with the bulk on suspicion of supporting the banned terror organisation Palestine Motion.
Requires restraint had been made following the phobia assault on a synagogue in Manchester on October 2 by which two folks have been killed, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urging protesters to ‘respect the grief of British Jews’.
Hundreds gathered on Victoria Embankment in central London forward of the pro-Palestine march to Whitehall
Individuals stage a protest to demand the British authorities to raise its ban on Palestine Motion in Trafalgar Sq. on Saturday, October 4
Protesters unfurl a banner on Westminster Bridge as a part of an illustration organised by Defend our Juries, in assist of Palestine Motion in Trafalgar Sq., on October 4
In Manchester, between 50 and 100 folks turned out within the rain to protest in Manchester on October 4
Professional-Palestine protesters have been advised they have to march alongside this pre-agreed route earlier than gathering in Whitehall
Counter-protesters should stay within the pink space simply off the Strand throughout at present’s protest
It adopted scuffles between police and pro-Palestine protesters on the night of the assault after supporters of a flotilla headed to Gaza gathered in Whitehall.
Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, have been killed following the assault exterior Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester on October 2, carried out by Islamic extremist Jihad Al-Shamie.
Higher Manchester Police stated that one of many deceased males was shot by officers, including a second sufferer sustained a non-life threatening gunshot wound.
Within the wake of the assault, the Met had additionally urged organisers to name off the plans, with Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley saying policing the protest would imply drawing officers away from communities ‘at a time when they’re wanted most’.
The demonstration in assist of Palestine Motion went forward, with human rights campaigner Sir Jonathon Porritt saying protesters shouldn’t be requested to ‘hand over on our proper to face up for individuals who are being devastated by an ongoing, real-time genocide in Gaza’.
On Thursday, round 2,000 protesters gathered exterior Downing Road to mark per week because the synagogue assault.
On the protest, Gideon Falter, chief govt of the Marketing campaign Towards Antisemitism, stated: ‘It is a Jewish group that has clamoured for 2 years within the face of mounting hate.’
Residence Secretary Shabana Mahmood has stated repeated large-scale protests had induced ‘appreciable concern’ for the Jewish group.
Police scuffle with Professional-Palestine protesters on the south finish of Whitehall following a protest in Parliament sq. on Thursday, October 2
Police have been seen struggling with protesters on the south finish of Whitehall following a protest in Parliament Sq. on the day of the phobia assault
Ben Jamal, PSC director, stated the group will ‘by no means cease’ supporting Palestinians to ‘obtain a free Palestine’.
Of the deliberate protest this weekend, he stated: ‘For 2 years we have seen Israel commit a no holds barred genocide with the political and navy assist of successive UK governments.
‘In response, a group of resistance on this nation has responded with an historic present of solidarity – actively and intensively campaigning, day in day trip, to demand politicians, public our bodies and companies finish their complicity with Israel’s crimes.
‘It is a motion supported by thousands and thousands of individuals on this nation and all over the world who need freedom and justice for Palestine.
‘That work will go on. As a result of we all know Israel is able to breaking the ceasefire at any time, because it has carried out on each earlier event. And we all know this ceasefire primarily based on (US President Donald) Trump’s plan does nothing to deal with the basis causes of Israeli occupation and colonisation of Palestine, and its system of apartheid in opposition to Palestinians. It additionally does nothing to carry these chargeable for genocide to account.
‘The rights of the Palestinian individuals are enshrined underneath worldwide regulation – they’re inviolable and non-negotiable. They’ll by no means hand over these rights, and we are going to by no means cease supporting them to attain a free Palestine.’
The Israeli navy stated on Friday that the ceasefire settlement got here into impact at midday native time (10am BST).
The pause within the two-year warfare within the Center East follows Hamas agreeing to launch the remaining hostages in alternate for Palestinian prisoners.
Information of the ceasefire settlement got here simply two days after the second anniversary of October 7, the assaults by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel.
