Nov. 5 (UPI) — Protests in cities across the world continued for the fifth straight weekend as Israel’s war on Hamas, the Palestinian militia it views as a terrorist organization, continues to rage.
Demonstrators gathered in cities including New York, Washington, London, Berlin, Paris, Ankara and others to call for a cease-fire amid mounting death tolls of Palestinian civilians.
The Gaza Health Ministry said Saturday that Israeli forces are killing and injuring at least two children every ten minutes. So far, 9488 civilians — including 3,900 children and 2,509 women — have been killed in Gaza as United Nations experts warn of “genocide.”
Berlin Police said in a statement that about 9,000 people had gathered in the city to protest in support of a cease-fire and that 68 arrests were made in a demonstration officials called “mostly peaceful.”
Those arrested included protesters who held posters and banners mentioning the Holocaust in connection with Palestine, for jumping in a public fountain and for lighting fireworks. Meanwhile, about ten people took part at a pro-Israel rally calling for Hamas to release hostage.
In London, police arrested 29 people including two people on suspicion of terrorism for the wording in a banner they were holding in Saturday’s protest. It was not immediately clear what the banner read but Britain, like Israel, also considers Hamas to be a terrorist organization.
Another man was arrested for making allegedly making “antisemitic” comments in a speech while another was arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred and three people were arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer, Metropolitan Police said.
Meanwhile, the Paris Police Prefect Laurent Nuñez announced Sunday he will take legal action after a protester said, “Israel does not have a right to defend itself” and calling it a lie to refer to the resistance by Palestinians against Israeli occupation as terrorism. Nuñez said he had contacted the public prosecutor but it was not immediately clear what law in France the man is accused of violating.
In the United States, tens of thousands of people descended on Washington for a march organized by the Act Now to Stop War and End Racism coalition.
Protesters said that they would not back the Democratic party in key battleground states including Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania in upcoming elections.
“Israel, with the full backing of the U.S. government, is carrying out an unprecedented massacre in Gaza. Thousands of Palestinians are being killed with bombs, bullets and missiles paid for by U.S. tax dollars,” the ANSWER website reads.
“This is the latest bloody chapter in the colonial project of Israel, founded with the objective of dispossessing Palestinians from their land.”
