The first Pro-Palestinian marches in the UK since the end of the Israel-Hamas truce were held on Saturday, in what was described as a countrywide "day of action" to demand a ceasefire.
In London there was no stand-alone march through the capital of the sort seen over the past two months but demonstrations were spread out over 13 boroughs a day after the Israel-Gaza truce ended on Friday.
According to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, there were also marches in other big cities including Liverpool, Newcastle and Leeds.
Police previously said there were 300,000 people participating in the pro-Palestine march in London on November 11, although organisers estimated there was “more than 800,000”.
On its website, the Stop the War Coalition urged supporters to “join an action in your local area to call for a permanent ceasefire now”, with protests in areas including Camden, Redbridge, Newham, Enfield, Hounslow, Islington, Lewisham, Southwark and Wimbledon.
Other rallies were taking place in Harrow, Kilburn and Tottenham, according to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
Tim Mohun, who joined a march in the Camden area of London, said he was concerned that with the truce over “thousands of Palestinians are going to be bombed” and described Israel’s military action as a “war crime”.
“The only way this is going to be resolved is through negotiation and a political solution which gives the Palestinian people a homeland,” the 68-year-old told The National.
“No amount of bombing will alter that. The British government should be telling the Israelis to stop the bombing and start negotiating.”
Another marcher at Camden told The National she was concerned that the death toll was going to keep rising.
“Already within minutes of the truce ending people were being bombed,” said Anisah, who asked for her surname not to be used.
“It’s not just in Gaza that Palestinians are being killed, it’s in the West Bank as well. I want Rishi Sunak to call for a ceasefire to protect the Palestinians, use your voice.
“You’re happy to give arms to the [Israeli army] but what about the support for the Palestinians? I have not once heard the UK government come out and say ‘we support the Palestinians’.
“I’ve seen so many videos of people saying they don’t know if they’re going to survive the night. I just want the British government to stand for the Palestinians as much as they stand for the Israelis.”
The Metropolitan Police said each event will be “locally policed, with additional officers from our pan-London public order policing teams available to provide support as required”.
Grieving family members whose loved ones have been killed in the conflict will also lead a vigil outside Downing Street on Sunday “for all those suffering” because of the most recent outbreak of fighting.
The event will see faith leaders and politicians join grieving families “in the first mass event of its kind” since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7.
