London police arrest 70 pro-Palestinian demonstrators on eve of Gaza truce
UK police arrested over 70 pro-Palestinian demonstrators during a rally in central London on Saturday, just hours before the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip goes into force.
According to the Metropolitan Police, some had been arrested on suspicion of breaching protest conditions, and some for offenses including assault, support of a proscribed group, and obstructing police.
The Metropolitan Police also claimed the demonstrators were detained because they had been suspected of planning to breach the zone designated for the rally.
A “coordinated effort” was underway by one of the rally organizers, the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign (PSC), to breach the perimeter of the rally, the Metropolitan police added.
Some of the pro-Palestinian demonstrators, according to police reports, had moved across from the designated Whitehall Street, the place where the main British government offices were located, and aimed to proceed further on towards Trafalgar Square, which the Met had restricted.
British police officials justified the illegal arrests and went as far as likening the peaceful pro-Palestinian rally to an unlawful activity and “criminality.”
“This is the highest number of arrests we have seen, in response to the most significant escalation in criminality,” the Met police commander Adam Slonecki claimed in a statement.
“Investigations are now underway and we will make every effort to bring prosecutions against those we identify,” Slonecki added.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators at the rally held placards bearing slogans including “Stop arming Israel” or “Gaza, stop the massacre” amid regular chants of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
Ben, a 36-year-old union worker said, “We need to make pressure to make that ceasefire hold,” and for international aid to reach Gaza.
“Obviously, we’re delighted there’s a ceasefire,” said Linda Plant, a retiree from London attending the rally where thousands of pro-Palestinians expressed hope that the ceasefire between the Zionists and Palestinians Hamas resistance movement will hold, given the Israelis past violations of peace deals and retaliations.
One 50-year-old demonstrator at the rally said, “We need to be out on the streets to make sure the ceasefire holds.”
“We’re gonna need to do a lot more”, Anisah Qausher, a student, said, citing the challenge of rebuilding Gaza.
Israel was forced to agree to a ceasefire and stop the genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza on Wednesday after 15 months of relentless killings and failing to achieve any of its declared war objectives including the “elimination” of Hamas.
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