Pro-Palestinian protests, vigils for victims mark Oct 7 anniversary
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Students taking part in an inter-university march in support of Palestinians at King’s College London campus on Oct 7.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON/WASHINGTON - Pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated around the world on Oct 7 against Israel’s assault on Gaza, while vigils and other events commemorated Israeli victims on the second anniversary of the Hamas attack that sparked Israel’s war in the enclave.
As indirect negotiations took place in Egypt on a US proposal to end the war, protests in support of Palestinians took place in Sydney, Istanbul, London and Washington, as well as in New York City, Paris, Geneva, Athens and Stockholm.
Demonstrators spoke out against the humanitarian crisis and bloodshed in Gaza, while politicians urged pro-Palestinian protesters not to let their outrage turn into glorification of Hamas’ violence.
Hamas’ Oct 7, 2023, attack
At the White House, US President Donald Trump on Oct 7 hosted Mr Edan Alexander, believed to be the last surviving US hostage held in Gaza when the dual Israeli-US citizen was handed over by Hamas in May.
Top US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, joined a vigil for Israeli hostage families and survivors.
Israel’s assault on Gaza has killed more than 67,000 people, with thousands more feared buried under rubble, the Gaza authorities say.
New York City protesters carried banners that read “Gaza is bleeding” and “US and Israel – your hands are red”.
A crowd of Muslim demonstrators prayed in front of the Trump Hotel in New York City, pro-Palestinian group Within Our Lifetime said on social media platform X.
Local media said thousands of people gathered in Central Park for a Jewish circle of unity.
Participants chanted: “Bring them home,” in reference to the hostages, the reports said.
In London, several hundred protesters waved Palestinian flags and shouted “Israel is a terrorist state” outside King’s College London. A small group of people waving Israeli flags stood nearby.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it was “un-British” to hold protests “on the anniversary of the atrocities of Oct 7.”
The wave of demonstrations reflected a shift in global sentiment over the two-year war from nearly universal initial sympathy for Israel to widespread outrage over its military assault, which has displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza, left the enclave in ruins and caused starvation.
Demonstrators at King’s College tak ingpart in a pro-Palestinian student march in London on Oct 7.
PHOTO: EPA
Mounting anger over the war and repeated ceasefire failures have driven major Western nations to recognise a Palestinian state, defying Israel and the US and reviving Palestinians’ long-held hopes for statehood.
Mr Mark Etkind, a retiree in his early 60s from London, wore a sign around his neck saying he was the son of a Holocaust survivor. He said a call by Mr Starmer not to protest was “outrageous”.
“I have always opposed genocide,” he told Reuters. “Of course, I support students here who are actively opposing genocide.”
Multiple rights experts, scholars and a UN inquiry say Israel’s assault on Gaza amounts to genocide.
Israel calls its actions self defence after the 2023 Hamas attack, which marked the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.
Ms Emily Schrader, a 34-year-old Israeli journalist who was visiting London, said: “There are much better ways to support Palestinians than engaging in an activity like this that is so hurtful, so deeply offensive, and that emboldens radicalism and terrorism.”
Stones, photos remember victims
Events were held across Israel to mark the anniversary of the Hamas attack, while in Germany, mourners gathered at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, placing stones and photos of victims in a vigil echoing Jewish remembrance traditions.
In the Netherlands, pro-Palestinian activists splashed red paint on Amsterdam’s Royal Palace, protesting against a ban by the mayor on a pro-Palestinian rally while permitting a pro-Israeli event.
In New York City, police raised security at religious and cultural sites but said there were no credible threats.
New York media said security was tightened at the Israeli consulate in Manhattan, where a protest was reported.
Synagogues, schools and religious sites got extra protection as well, according to the reports.
Rights advocates have noted a rise in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia globally during the war.
Noteworthy incidents included a fatal synagogue attack in Manchester
There was also a deadly stabbing of a six-year-old Palestinian child in Illinois in October 2023, while last week a Texas woman was sentenced for attempting to drown a three-year-old Palestinian girl. REUTERS
