In Paris, the gathering was banned by police and at the request of Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, with authorities citing fears the protest could turn violent.
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN, JERUSALEM POST STAFF, REUTERSUpdated: MAY 15, 2021 22:42Pro-Palestinian demonstrators protest against the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestinian territories during a rally at the Washington Monument in Washington, U.S., May 15, 2021. (photo credit: YURI GRIPAS / REUTERS)
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators took to the streets throughout Europe and the Middle East over the weekend protesting Israel’s actions against Gaza.In central London, thousands of people marched, calling on the UK government to stop allowing what they described as “Israel’s brutal violence against and oppression of the Palestinian people.”Demonstrators marched to the Israeli embassy chanting “free Palestine”, the BBC reported.Police in Paris on Saturday fired tear gas and aimed water cannons at protesters defying a ban on marching against Israeli attacks on Gaza, trying to disperse demonstrators gathering in groups of several hundred.Hundreds of people also took part in authorized protests in other French cities, including Lyon and Marseille, which took place peacefully. These echoed marches elsewhere around the world, from Sydney to Madrid.In Paris, the gathering was banned by police and at the request of Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, with authorities citing fears the protest could turn violent.Some protesters turned out anyway, waving Palestinian flags and attempting to join up with disparate groups of demonstrators.Greek police fired tear gas and water cannon on Saturday to disperse pro-Palestinian demonstrators protesting in Athens.Hundreds of people shouting “Freedom to Palestine” and waving Palestinian flags marched to the Israeli embassy, which was cordoned off by police buses.In Baghdad on Saturday, pro-Iranian groups painted Israeli flags on the street so they could march on them as a symbolic “liberation” of Jerusalem in solidarity with Palestinian Hamas. The painting began early in the morning while it was still dark. Photos showed men placing white on the pavement, before they would add the blue of Israel’s flag.Later, an American flag was added next to the Israeli one. This is not the first time Israeli flags have been put on streets in Baghdad, a yearly occurrence, in order to step on them. The Iraqi-based militias that are pro-Iran have long sought to showcase their anti-Israel credentials.Qais Khazali leader of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, an Iraqi Shi’a Party, went to Lebanon in 2017,visited a Hezbollah post across from Metulla and said he would help Hezbollah. Many of the militias were led by men close to Hezbollah and Iran’s IRGC and Qasem Soleimani.
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