Gaza war fuels mass protests and arrests in central London

Hundreds arrested as pro-Palestinian rallies and hostage release march intensify tensions in UK

London: Police in London braced for another day of demonstrations on Sunday as the war in Gaza continues to inflame tensions across the United Kingdom.

Demonstrators demanding the immediate release of all the remaining hostages in Gaza plan to march through central London to the prime minister’s residence at No. 10 Downing Street on Sunday afternoon. The march comes a day after police arrested 474 people at a protest in support of a banned pro-Palestinian organisation.

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Among those expected to attend the rally is Noga Guttman, a cousin of 24-year-old hostage Evyatar David, who was featured in a video that enraged Israelis when it was released by Hamas militants last week. The video showed an emaciated David saying he is digging his own grave inside a tunnel in Gaza.

Hamas-led militants kidnapped 251 people when they attacked Israel on Oct 7, 2023. Some 50 of the hostages still haven’t been released, of whom 20 are thought to be alive.

Israel last week announced its intention to occupy Gaza City as part of a plan to end the war and bring the captives home. Family members and many international leaders have condemned the plan, saying it would lead to more bloodshed and endanger the hostages.

“We are united in one clear and urgent demand: the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages,” Stop the Hate, a coalition of groups organising the march, said in a statement. “Regardless of our diverse political views, this is not a political issue — it is a human one.”

On Saturday, police arrested hundreds of people in central London as demonstrators sought to pressure the government to overturn its decision to ban the group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. Legislation passed last month makes it a crime to publicly support the group.

The Metropolitan Police Service said it arrested 466 people for supporting Palestine Action. A further eight were arrested on other charges, including assaults on police officers.

The government banned Palestine Action after activists broke into a Royal Air Force base and damaged two tanker planes to protest British support for the war in Gaza. Palestine Action had previously targeted Israeli defence contractors and other sites in Britain that they believe have links with the Israeli military.

Supporters of Palestine Action are challenging the ban in court, saying the government has gone too far in declaring a direct action group a terrorist organisation.