Israel News: Thousands Around the World Protest Israeli Attacks on Palestine: Things Get Violent in France, Poland
Protests have been happening for the past week around the world in support of Palestinians. Many demand Israel stop its attacks on Gaza, which have killed hundreds in the war-torn region.
Protests increased this weekend as Israel began a land invasion of the Palestinian territory of Gaza on Friday. As of Saturday, more than 300 Palestinians have been killed, and at least two Israeli soldiers have perished. All the protests demand a cessation of Israeli hostility against Gaza.
In a controversial move, Parisian police prohibited a planned pro-Palestinian protest planned for Saturday, according to France24. French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve justified the decision, citing violence from a previous demonstration.
"I cannot accept a repetition [of these acts of violence,] and I cannot take the risk of seeing French citizens, whatever their religious affiliations, exposed to violence," Cazeneuve told reporters.
However, the protest's organizers said they would appeal the decision. Backing them are more than 50 political parties, unions and organizations that called for rallies around the country.
On Saturday, protesters ignored the ban and went unto the streets of Paris' Barbes neighborhood, according to the Wall Street Journal. The illegal manifestation turned violent when protesters began throwing rocks and other projectiles at police, which led to the arrest of 33 people by 6:45 p.m. local time. Police counterattacked with tear gas.
Around 5,000 people filled the streets, according to Al-Jazeera. The incident, the media site reports, also highlighted ethnic tensions in the European country since French media presented the protest as a race riot, but protesters argued that the police tried to muzzle Arab immigrants' freedom of speech.
Protesters also marched down London's streets. Around 15,000 people gathered in the Kensington area of London near the Israeli embassy, demanding Israel stop its attack on Gaza, according to International Business Times UK.
"London has already shown its outrage at Israel's attacks on the mostly refugee population of Gaza, with people turning out in their thousands last week," Sarah Colborne of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign said."Saturday's national demonstration will give people from across the country the chance to say enough is enough -- Israel's siege of Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian land has to end now."
Protests also sprung up in cities around the world, according to the Times of Israel. In Istanbul, protesters tried to enter the Israeli embassy, and in Krakow, Poland, Israelis were assaulted and spat on by supporters of Palestine. Though police broke up the protest, no arrests were made.
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