Crowds Call for Ceasefire in Gaza as Demonstrations Sweep Central London
The Metropolitan Police confirmed four arrests, including one individual suspected of a terrorism-related offence, during a large-scale pro-Palestinian protest in central London. The demonstration, estimated by organisers to have drawn more than 200,000 people, saw crowds march from Russell Square to Trafalgar Square on Saturday, demanding a ceasefire in Gaza.
Organised by groups such as the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War, and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, the protest featured speeches from figures including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and actor Khalid Abdalla. Corbyn criticised the UK’s arms trade with Israel, urging for a “permanent ceasefire” in Gaza. Abdalla reflected on generational struggles for Palestinian justice, labelling the protests “love marches.”
The Met Police reported that one arrest on the Strand was for inviting support for a proscribed organisation. Three others were detained for separate incidents, including racially aggravated offences and causing public alarm. Simultaneously, a pro-Israel counter-protest also took place in central London.
Speakers like Labour MPs Diane Abbott and Richard Burgon called for decisive actions, such as halting arms sales to Israel and pushing for war crimes investigations, in their addresses to the crowd. The protest occurred on Land Day, marking the anniversary of a 1976 demonstration where six Palestinians were killed while protesting Israeli land policies.
