Pro-Palestinian activists held protests and staged demonstrations over the weekend in London, Berlin, Rome, and New York, demanding a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, as per Reuters and New York Post reports.
The protesters gathered, with thousands marching across the iconic Brooklyn Bridge in New York. They were seen waving Palestinian flags and banners, chanting slogans such as ‘Free Palestine’. The demonstrators were also seen carrying signs that read ‘Stop Killing Children’ and ‘Stop Bombing Gaza’, according to Reuters. The report further said a protester in London expressed deep concerns, stating he feared that there would be no more Palestine.
In the United States, a three-mile ‘Flood Brooklyn for Gaza’ march commenced in front of the Brooklyn Museum in Crown Heights. During the procession, a few demonstrators openly voiced their support for Hamas’s actions against Israel, New York Post reported.
Pro-Palestine Sloganeering
Signs with slogans like ‘From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free’ were prominently displayed. They proceeded north along Flatbush Avenue to the Barclays Center and eventually gathered on the Brooklyn Bridge, causing traffic disruptions on the Manhattan-bound side, as some climbed metal barriers and waved Palestinian flags.
As a precautionary measure, law enforcement officials temporarily halted traffic on the Brooklyn-bound side.
Before the rally, former City Councilman David Greenfield, now heading the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, criticized the event’s sponsors for organizing an anti-Israel protest in Crown Heights on Shabbat, a day of rest for Hasidic Jews residing in the area.
Notably, Israel initiated a counter-offensive against Hamas after the latter’s attack on October 7. Israel has expressed its determination to dismantle Hamas.
On Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the start of the second stage of the conflict with the entry of more ground forces into Gaza. He said that Israel’s objective is to “defeat the murderous enemy and ensure our existence in our land.”
During a press conference in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu outlined Israel’s clear war goals, which include “the destruction of Hamas’s military and governing capabilities and the safe return of hostages.” He further noted that the decision to initiate the ground incursion had unanimous support from the war cabinet and the security cabinet, as per The Times of Israel.
(With Agency Inputs)