Thousands march in London at Armistice Day pro-Palestinian demo

AFP | London

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Huge crowds marche d through the British capital yesterday, as pro-Palestinian supporters made their latest mass call for a ceasefire, with police out in force to prevent clashes with counter-protesters.

The “National March for Palestine”, organised by the Stop the War Coalition, set off after a two-minutes’ silence to remember Britain’s war dead on Armistice Day was observed at The Cenotaph war memorial in central London at 1100 GMT.

Huge crowds of protesters waved black, red, white and green Palestinian flags and held aloft placards proclaiming “Stop Bombing Gaza”, just over a month since the crisis began.

As the march set off, protesters shouted “free Palestine” and “ceasefire now”.

London’s Metropolitan Police has made a total of nearly 100 arrests at previous pro-Palestinian marches.

But yesterday’s march has generated concern because it coincides with Armistice Day, commemorating the end of fighting in World War I in 1918 -- and political criticisms about the policing operation.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made a late plea for calm late on Friday, calling for protesters to do so “respectfully and peacefully”.

Met Police deputy assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor said march organisers had changed the route from Hyde Park to the US Embassy in south London to ensure it will not pass any landmark memorials.

Previous events have seen “small groups break away” and that “their behaviour has been escalating and becoming more violent”, Taylor, who is leading the policing operation, told reporters.