Pro-Palestine Demonstrations Echo Worldwide

People gathered in the thousands across the globe to call for a ceasefire Photo Austin America-Statesman

World – A global wave of pro-Palestine fervour has swept from the icy North to the sunny South, urgently demanding a ceasefire and urging their governments to take decisive action. Major cities, from New York to London, Paris, and Sydney, witnessed historic pro-Palestine demonstrations, marking an unprecedented chapter in human history.

On Armistice Day, Saturday, hundreds of thousands marched in London, advocating for a ceasefire. While the Metropolitan Police cited over 300 000 protesters, organisers estimated a crowd closer to 800 000, marking it as one of the largest political marches in British history. This occurred amid former British Home Secretary Suella Braverman labelling pro-Palestine demonstrations as “hate marches” and “pro-Palestinian mobs” as well as alleging ties between organisers and Hamas. Braverman urged police to take a stricter stance on pro-Palestine supporters, whom she viewed as Hamas backers, asserting that Hamas is a terrorist organisation trying to foster animosity against Palestine supporters within the community. Early on Monday morning, after making inflammatory comments about the policing of pro-Palestinian protests in central London over the weekend, Braverman was sacked from her position by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (latest politician to be added to the list of war mongers).

On Saturday afternoon, Paris witnessed the first permitted rally in support of the Palestinian people following France’s mid-October ban on such marches. Thousands converged at Place de la République and marched towards Place de la Nation. According to the organisers, 60 000 protesters came out to voice their support, call for a ceasefire and condemn Apartheid Israel for its genocide in Gaza. Similar demonstrations unfolded in various French cities, including Bordeaux, Orléans, Rouen, Nice, and Strasbourg, where over a thousand people denounced Israel’s actions with chants of “Solidarity with the people of Gaza” and “Terrorist Israel, Macron an accomplice.” Earlier that morning in Toulouse, a march organised by the CGT trade union drew 2 000 participants. Notably, French President Emmanuel Macron, has done a 180 and call for a ceasefire. Something he was vehemently against.

On Saturday, a substantial number of Germans risked arrest or worse as they gathered to protest the ongoing genocide in Palestine. German authorities, particularly since October 7th, have taken a stern stance against Palestinian supporters and demonstrators. They suffer a guilt of a different nature, their country associated with the holocaust of the very people who now carry out the same on the people of Palestine. Approximately 8 000 to 10 000 people participated in a march in the German capital, accompanied by the deployment of 1 000 police officers. While Palestinian marches were previously prohibited in Berlin, recent permissions come with stringent regulations regarding protesters’ attire, signage, and speech. Notably, the use of the “river to the sea” slogan was declared prosecutable by Berlin’s public prosecutor in mid-October. Germany, acknowledging its “special responsibility” to the Jewish people, witnesses a significant shift in public sentiment toward Israel, with a growing number openly advocating for Palestine — a noteworthy transformation over the past few months, from silence to a collective voice against oppression.

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On Sunday October 29th, a wave of solidarity swept through Sydney as Australians united passionately, turning College Street into a sea of voices in the largest pro-Palestine march to date. Approximately 50 000 individuals asserted their convictions, stretching from Hyde Park to Belmore Park, sending a powerful message to the government about the heartfelt stance of the Australian people. Amid the fervour, calls for a Gaza ceasefire, pleas for Palestinian freedom, and strong opposition to the Australian government’s support for Israel echoed through the spirited procession. Notably, the Palestinian rally boasted a significant union presence, adding a robust layer of support to the cause.

In a nation where the President shamelessly fuels Israel’s genocidal actions, fierce pro-Palestinian activists unleashed havoc in Manhattan for the second time this Friday, forcing Grand Central Terminal into a grinding halt. The rebellion ignited at Columbus Circle, a relentless march through the streets, a sea of voices demanding an end to the overseas bloodshed. They passed the New York Times building, painted it in a sinister red tint, a damning symbol of the blood on their hands for propagating Israeli lies. They converged on Grand Central, encircling it, ensuring their thunderous dissent echoed through the early hours of Saturday. Yet, this was no isolated uprising. Just a day before, a fearless band infiltrated the New York Times’ atrium. For over an hour, they recited the names of thousands murdered in Gaza, casting a damning shadow on the media’s role in perpetuating genocide. Mock newspapers, like “The New York War Crimes,” rained down, accusing the press of being accomplices in whitewashing heinous acts, urging The Times’ editorial board to publicly endorse a cease-fire.

South Africa, a nation scarred by the brutal history of Apartheid, a ruthless era endured through endless suffering under the iron grip of the National Party, staunchly supported by Israel, now unleashed its rage in a march of stark defiance. The march started in District Six at the Muir Street Mosque in District Six, culminating at the Western Cape provincial legislature on Wale Street. As they advanced towards Wale Street, their voices resonated with a thunderous roar of dissent, proclaiming, “By the million, by the billion, we are all Palestinian” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Their procession, driven by a trio of unyielding demands:

The Western Cape Government must declare unwavering support and solidarity with the people of Palestine, mirroring their commitment to the people of Ukraine.

Premier Alan Winde of the Western Cape must vehemently denounce the heinous war crimes perpetrated by Benjamin Netanyahu and pledge to apprehend him, just as he vowed to apprehend Vladimir Putin.

The Western Cape Government must condemn the apartheid practices of Israel, paralleling its condemnation of the Russian Federation, while Premier Alan Winde must openly censure the United States of America for its complicity in the widespread slaughter of innocent lives.

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