PALESTINE Demonstrations around the world in support of the Palestinian people

Rarely has such mobilisation in solidarity with the Palestinian people been seen. We are publishing a brief report. We invite all our correspondents to send us reports, accounts and photos on the demonstrations in their countries. 

All Pakistan Trade Union Federation hold a protest rally against israel brutal attack on palestinian people and children. « The working class stand with palestinian people. We want free Palestine ۔ Israel barbaric attack on Palestine is violation of human right charter ». 

In Canada, there were numerous demonstrations in major cities, such as Ottawa where « participants demanded that the government ban arms sales to Israel ». 

In the United States, massive demonstrations took place in Chicago on 16 May, and in New York, Washington, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, San Francisco and Los Angeles on 15 May. Press reports indicate that demonstrators chanted « We want justice! We want justice!« , « Free Palestine!” but also – in reference to to the « Black Lives Matter » slogan « Palestinian Lives Matter » and « I can’t breathe since 1948 » – the last words of George Floyd. Others called for an immediate halt to US aid to Israel ($3.8 billion in annual military aid and $8 billion in loans guaranteed by Washington). 

In Australia, reports The Guardian (15 May), « thousands demonstrated for a free Palestine in Sydney and Melbourne« . 

Demonstrations also took place in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa, where demonstrators slammed Israel’s « apartheid regime« . 

In Morocco – where the authorities have recently « normalized » their relations with the State of Israel – in the face of « pressure from the street », they had to « ease off in the face of public protest« , according to the press, while in Algeria, many Palestinian flags were present in the marches on Friday 14 May. 

In Tunisia, demonstrations in several cities chanted: « Tunisians support Palestine » and « The people want to criminalise normalisation with Israel« . 

The strength of the protests in Egypt forced the bloodthirsty regime of Field Marshal Sissi to announce the opening of the Rafah crossing to the Gaza Strip on 15 May, to evacuate the injured. 

Massive demonstrations also took place in Lebanon, Jordan and Baghdad, Iraq, as well as in Turkey. 

Thousands also demonstrated in Berlin (Germany) on 15 May, despite threats by the Merkel government to sanction support for the Palestinians, and in Brussels (Belgium). 

In France, where the Macron government has banned demonstrations of solidarity, tens of thousands of protesters gathered in dozens of cities across the country on Saturday 15 May. 

In London (Great Britain) on the same day, nearly 100,000 demonstrators marched from Hyde Park to the Israeli embassy. « The UK government is complicit in these acts as long as it continues to offer military, diplomatic and financial support to Israel, » the organisers said.