Pro-Palestinian Demonstrations Sweep Capitals of Western Nations Supporting Israel
Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters organized demonstrations in Washington, London, Berlin, and Paris on Saturday, demanding a ceasefire in Gaza following a week of intensified Israeli military assault on the enclave.
These protests come on day 29 of Israel’s war on besieged Gaza, where the death toll has reached at least 9488 Palestinians, including 3900 children, acoording to Gaza’s health ministry, killed in Israeli airstrikes since October 7.
United States
In Washington, demonstrations saw tens of thousands taking to the streets chanting “Long live Palestine!” and “Ceasefire now!”. Thousands traveled to the city via buses and cars from out-of-state, including distant areas like Georgia.
Washington D.C. is the latest city to witness large pro-Palestinian protests as hundreds of thousands across the globe rallied last week, including massive demonstrations in London and Istanbul among other cities. Major cities across the US also saw demonstrations, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, New York, and others.
أكبر مظاهرة في واشنطن العاصمة..
مئات الآلاف يجوبون حاليا شوارع العاصمة الأمريكية تنديدا بإسرائيل ونصرة لفلسطين ومطالبين بوقف الإبادة الجماعية
جزء من المظاهرة التاريخية اليومpic.twitter.com/kLEfEVT6IE
— سامح عسكر (@sameh_asker) November 4, 2023
France
🚨🚨 في باريس.. خرج آلاف الأشخاص في مظاهرة مؤيدة لفلسطين pic.twitter.com/lLXywO0bGT
— جنـــرال T (@TZ00G) November 4, 2023
In France, demonstrations were carried out as thousands participated in rallies across several cities on Saturday in support of Palestinians.
In Paris, protests saw tens of thousands waving Palestinian flags and some held signs reading “Freedom for Palestine”. Alongside chants supporting Gaza, protesters shouted “Boycott Israel” and “Israel, terrorist state”.
Nearly forty other demonstrations were announced across France in Montpellier, Strasbourg, and Lyon, where protesters marched under heavy rain behind a banner reading “Lift the criminal siege on Gaza, freedom for Gaza”.
United Kingdom
للأسبوع الرابع على التوالي.. مظاهرة حاشدة في لندن اليوم تضامناً مع فلسطين والمطالبة بوقف إطلاق النار في غزة 🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/tDwdDIf4f8
— بريطانيا بالعربي🇬🇧 (@TheUKAr) November 4, 2023
In the UK, demonstrations involved tens of thousands in London demanding a ceasefire in Gaza. They gathered at the historic Trafalgar Square to show solidarity with Palestine and condemn Israeli assaults on Gaza.
Protests also occurred outside the BBC headquarters, holding a large banner reading “Stop arming Israel”. They waved Palestinian flags and chanted slogans supporting Palestine, criticizing the network’s coverage of the situation in Gaza.
Signs reading “Freedom for Palestine” were held, urging the UK government to support demands for a ceasefire. Notably, former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, numerous MPs, and human rights organizations’ representatives participated in the demonstrations.
Germany
Powerful Palestine demonstration in Berlin today.
10s of 1000s : families, Jews, Muslims, Queers, Feminists even: “Germans”!
The normative 🇩🇪 press + racists played down the numbers + smeared it as “Israel-haters/Hamas-fans”.
We know who is on the right side of history!#b0411 pic.twitter.com/Jejqu1DP3Q— Paul Dva #SaveSheikhJarrah 🥄🥄 (@zoolooy) November 4, 2023
Demonstrations in Germany’s capital Berlin, saw thousands rallying on Saturday in support of Palestinians and condemning Israeli bombardments on Gaza.
Groups of demonstrators, mostly youth, waved Palestinian flags and chanted: “Stop the genocide”, “Long live Palestine”, “Gaza, Gaza”, and “Free, free Palestine”.
Protests expressed outrage through banners denouncing Israel’s deadly military assaults and called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. They criticized Germany’s financial and military support for Israel in its war on Gaza.
Moreover, a large demonstration was held in Dusseldorf, where despite heavy rains, thousands gathered in solidarity with Palestine, carrying the Palestinian flag and pictures of children killed in Israeli attacks, chanting “Freedom for Palestine”.
Canada
Powerful Palestine demonstration in Berlin today.
10s of 1000s : families, Jews, Muslims, Queers, Feminists even: “Germans”!
The normative 🇩🇪 press + racists played down the numbers + smeared it as “Israel-haters/Hamas-fans”.
We know who is on the right side of history!#b0411 pic.twitter.com/Jejqu1DP3Q— Paul Dva #SaveSheikhJarrah 🥄🥄 (@zoolooy) November 4, 2023
In Canada, demonstrations saw tens of thousands marching demanding a ceasefire in Gaza. In the capital Ottawa, Montreal, and many other Canadian cities, supporters of the Palestinian cause continued to rally for the fourth week in a row; supporting Palestine and demanding a ceasefire, condemning the international silence regarding ongoing Israeli crimes against civilians and children in Gaza.
The police did not ban these demonstrations, called for by associations, unions, and political parties, but pre-emptively warned that it would not tolerate “any excesses”.
