Thousands of protesters turn out in support of Gaza

A tide of protesters took to the streets of central London on Saturday to show solidarity with Palestine and continue to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Thousands of protesters gathered in Queen Victoria Street before making their way along Fleet Street towards Parliament Square, holding flags and banners high and calling out chants in support of the Palestinians. 

More than 1,700 police officers were on duty to manage the march.

Four people were arrested on suspicion of alleged terrorism offenses during the protest.

A 34-year-old man from south-east Kent, a 58-year-old man from west London and a 36-year-old woman from South Yorkshire were arrested at around 4pm in  Victoria Embankment, on suspicion of inviting support for a proscribed organisation. All three were taken into custody at a west London police station.

A 49-year-old from South London was arrested on suspicion of the same charge at around 3pm yesterday after he took part in a protest against the counter-terrorism arrests outside a west London police station.

All four have been bailed to return to a west London police station in late March.

The Met had placed limits on the protest – requiring marchers to stick to the route to Parliament Square and speeches needing to be over by 4.30pm, with the whole event finished by 5pm. Protesters were also banned from entering the area around the Israeli embassy in Kensington. 

This was the seventh national pro-Palestinian march in London following the Hamas attacks on southern Israel on October 7, which saw about 1,300 people being killed and more than 240 kidnapped. 

More than 23,000 people have since been killed in Gaza by the Israeli government’s bombing campaign and more recent ground campaign, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Pictured top: Pro-Palestine protesters at an earlier march in London in November (Picture: Claudia Lee)