ROME – Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse violent protesters in Rome as tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets in major European cities and around the world on Saturday to call for an end to the shootings that marked the first Hamas attack on Israel.
Large rallies have been held in several European cities, and the rallies are expected to continue through the weekend and culminate on Monday, the day of the anniversary.
In Rome, several thousand demonstrated peacefully on Saturday afternoon until a small group tried to push the rally towards the center of the city, despite being blocked by local authorities who refused to authorize the protests, citing security concerns.
Some protesters, who were wearing black clothes and covered their faces, threw stones, bottles and paper bombs at the police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons, eventually dispersing the crowd. At least 30 police officers and three protesters were injured in the clashes, local media reported.
The meeting in Rome had previously been peaceful, with people chanting “Free Palestine, Free Lebanon,” waving Palestinian flags and holding placards calling for an immediate end to the conflict.
In London, thousands of people marched in the capital to Downing Street amid heavy police presence. The situation was tense as protesters and Palestinian representatives, some carrying Israeli flags, passed each other. Chaos broke out when the police pushed the activists who were trying to pass the rope. At least 17 people have been arrested on suspicion of public nuisance, supporting a banned organization and attacks, London’s Metropolitan Police said.
In the northern German city of Hamburg, about 950 people held a peaceful protest, many waving Palestinian and Lebanese flags or chanting “Stop the Genocide,” DPA news agency said, citing police figures. Two smaller pro-Israel demonstrations took place without incident, it said.
Several thousand protesters gathered peacefully in Paris’ Republique Plaza to show solidarity with the Palestinian and Lebanese people. Many waved Palestinian flags while holding signs reading “stop the genocide,” “free Palestine,” and “hands off Lebanon.”
Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered again in New York’s Times Square to call for an end to the fighting, chanting “Gaza!” some wearing keffiyeh scarves, waving Palestinian and Lebanese flags and carrying a giant cardboard portrait of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. and red paint showing blood on his face.
Rallies were also organized in several other cities in the United States and other countries of the world, including Denmark, Switzerland, South Africa and India. In the Philippines, dozens of left-wing activists protested near the US Embassy in Manila, where police prevented them from approaching the compound by the sea.
In Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marched on the heavily guarded US Embassy on Sunday. Authorities blocked the roads leading to the embassy with barbed wire and concrete as more than 1,000 police officers were deployed in the surrounding area.
Pro-Israel protests are expected to be held on Sunday as Jews around the world observe Rosh Hashana, or the Jewish New Year.
This year, emotions will be high for many given that within the 10 days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is October 7 – the one year anniversary of the Hamas attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and sparked the ongoing war in Gaza.
Advanced security warnings
Security forces in several countries have warned of a heightened state of alert in major cities, amid concerns that the escalating conflict in the Middle East could spark new terror attacks in Europe or that protests could turn violent.
Pro-Palestinian protests calling for a ceasefire have sprung up across Europe and around the world in the past year and have often turned violent, with clashes between protesters and law enforcement officials.
Italian authorities believe that the timing of Saturday’s meeting in Rome poses the risk of an October 7 attack “to be praised,” local media reported.
The Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi also emphasized that, before celebrating the important day, Europe is very careful about possible terrorist attacks.
“This is not a normal situation. … We are already in a very defensive position,” he said.
Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign in Britain, said he and others will continue to organize marches until action is taken against Israel.
“We need to take to the streets in huge numbers to stop this carnage and stop Britain from getting involved,” Jamal said.
In Berlin, a march is planned from the Brandenburg Gate to Bebelplatz on Sunday. Local media reported that security forces warned of possible overcrowding due to the scale of the protests. German authorities have pointed to an increase in antisemitic incidents and violence in recent days.
Earlier this week in France, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau warned the country’s regional authorities, expressing concern about possible unrest and saying the terrorist threat is high.
Thousands of rallies in DC
About 3,000 people demonstrated in front of the White House.
Amid the heavy police presence, protesters gathered in Lafayette Park, the same location as the 2020 protests against police brutality and the killing of George Floyd. “Resistance is worth it when people are busy!” they sang.
Another speaker on the stage called Oct. 7, 2023, “the day Gazans finally got out of their prison.”
The crowds then marched through the city, with police blocking the streets in front of them.
Protesters carried signs criticizing the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of the issue. Another read: “Abandon Harris ’24.
Law student Annette Tunstall said she considered voting Democratic after Biden stepped down and Harris became the candidate. But he lost faith after pro-Palestinian voices were silenced at the Democratic National Convention, he said.
“I really wanted to feel that I could vote for him in good conscience,” Tunstall said. “I don’t think it would have taken much for thousands of pro-Palestinians to hold their noses and vote for Harris.”
It’s been a rough and bloody year
On October 7 last year, Hamas suddenly attacked Israel, killing 1,200 Israelis, abducting 250 people and starting a war with Israel that disrupted most of the Gaza Strip controlled by Hamas.
More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed since then in Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians.
About 100 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, and fewer than 70 are believed to be alive. Israelis have experienced attacks — missiles from Iran and Hezbollah, drone strikes from Yemen, deadly shootings and stabbings — as the region braces for further expansion.
In late September, Israel shifted some of its focus to Hezbollah, seeking to withdraw from its border in the southern parts of Lebanon where the group is concentrated.
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