Antisemitic banners displayed during pro-Palestinian march in London, call for permanent ceasefire in Gaza

Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian marchers took to the streets in London, United Kingdom, on Saturday (Nov 25) with antisemitic banners on display, despite police warnings, calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war.

The city’s Metropolitan Police said that they arrested over a dozen people, including at least five people for suspected incitement of racial hatred while the majority of people protested peacefully.

‘National March for Palestine’

Add WION as a Preferred Source

The protest dubbed National March for Palestine took place in Central London and was the latest in a series of several huge demonstrations that the British capital city has witnessed on the weekends since the beginning of the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza.

Around 45,000 campaigners participated in the rally on Saturday, as per police estimates, which took place on the second day of the four-day truce between Israel and Hamas. The recent truce marked the first pause in fighting giving some respite in the constant bombardment and fighting in the Palestinian enclave, but protesters said that was not enough.

“We need full support for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza,” 64-year-old protester Kate Hudson told Reuters at the rally which began from Park Lane and finished outside the Houses of Parliament.

She added, “It’s very welcome that there is a pause...But this problem needs to be resolved and resolved so that the Palestinians finally have the political settlement that countless U.N. resolutions have enshrined.”

The police were also seen distributing leaflets which sought to clarify what would be deemed a criminal offence and warned demonstrators against breaking the law after facing pressure from senior government officials to take action over alleged displays of antisemitism at the protests.

Antisemitic slogans raised

“I would like to acknowledge the overwhelming majority who came into London today and exercised their right to protest lawfully,” said Ade Adelekan, the Met police’s deputy assistant commissioner.

He added, “Regrettably, there was still a small minority who believed the law did not apply to them.” The police arrested 18 people, including a man who was spotted carrying a placard with Nazi symbol Hakenkreuz.

During the rally on Saturday, a young woman was also seen holding a placard that read, “Stop doing what Hitler did to you”, in what was one of several banners making such antisemitic comparisons between Israel’s bombing of Gaza and the Holocaust, reported The Telegraph.

Protest against antisemitism

Thousands of people are also expected to take part in a march organised by the Campaign Against Antisemitism charity in support of the Jewish community in the UK on Sunday (Nov 26). The Met police had previously said that over 1,500 officers would be deployed for both marches over the weekend.

These marches triggered a lot of debate in the UK over upholding the right to protest and police using its power to stop what some in the Jewish community reportedly see as hateful, racist or antisemitic language or actions.

Earlier this month, the UK’s former Interior Minister Suella Braverman was sacked by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after she accused police of “double standards” at protests showing support for Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

She also called pro-Palestinian protesters “hate marchers.”

(With inputs from agencies)