Pro-Palestine protests continue in UK amid security pressure

Pars Today – Thousands of British citizens across various cities held protests to express solidarity with the Palestinian people and condemn London’s policies restricting demonstrations and supporting the Israeli regime.

The Saturday gatherings in cities such as Glasgow, Manchester, and Oxford took place amid increased security pressure on pro-Palestine activists and demonstrators in recent weeks.

According to Pars Today, in Glasgow, protesters carried Palestinian flags and placards supporting prisoners, condemning the crimes of the Israeli regime. In Manchester, the gathering featured the slogan “End the Gaza Siege” and called for an end to Western support for Israel. In Oxford, demonstrators countered far-right groups and Islamophobia while emphasizing the need to address the root causes of domestic crises.

These actions come as British police have intensified crackdowns following the designation of the group “Palestinian Action” as a terrorist organization, targeting any expression of support and arresting hundreds so far.

The police’s strict approach to slogans such as “Intifada” has also drawn criticism from civil society organizations and legal experts, who consider it a threat to the legal right to protest. At the same time, hunger strikes by some detainees in this case have raised concerns about prisoners’ humanitarian conditions.

These ongoing protests in Europe occur while Israeli attacks on Gaza continue sporadically despite the announced ceasefire. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the number of Palestinian martyrs in the Gaza Strip has surpassed 70,000 since October 2023, and over 171,000 have been injured, highlighting the depth of the humanitarian disaster in Gaza and the urgent need to halt violence unconditionally.