857 arrested in London for supporting a pro-Palestinian group

BarcelonaLondon police arrested a total of 890 people on Saturday who were demonstrating in Parliament Square in support of the Palestine Action group, Scotland Yard sources reported Sunday. Specifically, 857 people were arrested for simply expressing their support for the group, and the remaining 33 for assaulting officers and committing other public order offenses. Among those arrested were many elderly people and even a nun, the 83-year-old Reverend Sue Parfitt, who was carrying a sign reading "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action."

Last July, the British government outlawed Palestine Action and declared the group a "terrorist organization" for vandalizing two aircraft at a British Air Force base and blocking the entrance to the Israeli defense company Elbit Systems in Bristol, southwest England. Following the group's outlawing, membership in or support for Palestine Action is considered a crime in the United Kingdom, punishable by up to 14 years in prison under the Terrorism Act passed in 2000. In fact, on August 9, The police have already arrested more than 500 people for the same reason, that is, because they were demonstrating in favor of that group.

London Police Deputy Commissioner Claire Smart clarified that a second pro-Palestine demonstration in the British capital on Saturday drew some 20,000 people, but resulted in almost no arrests. The protest was organized by the Stop the War coalition and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Mass protest

Meanwhile, some 70,000 people, according to police estimates, demonstrated this Sunday in central Brussels to demand an end to all relations with Israel for the crimes committed in Gaza and the West Bank. The more than 200 organizations that called for the protest estimate, however, that at least 110,000 people participated. Regardless, it was a massive demonstration.

Dressed in red, carrying handmade banners and thousands of Palestinian flags, the protesters formed a red tide that marched through the city from Gare du Nord to the heart of the European Quarter. This is the second protest of this magnitude to take place in the European capital. Last June, another demonstration drew around 100,000 people.

Protesters are demanding harsh sanctions against Benjamin Netanyahu's government and respect for international law. They accuse the European Union of being "complicit" in the "Israeli regime of apartheid and genocide."

The Belgian government announced this week that it will recognize the Palestinian state after a series of internal debates that have destabilized Prime Minister Bart de Wever's conservative coalition. The Belgian government also plans to review its public procurement policy with Israeli companies, prohibiting the import of Israeli products and prohibiting Israeli aircraft from flying over Belgian airspace.

In Spain, the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) and Sumar (Spanish Nationalist Party) are also negotiating measures against Israel with the intention of approving them at Tuesday's Council of Ministers, but the nature of these measures has not been disclosed.

Offensive against Gaza City

Meanwhile, Israel continues its offensive against Gaza City. This Sunday, they bombed another building, the third in three days. It is a six-story building that has completely collapsed. On Saturday, they destroyed the al-Susi Tower, and on Friday, the Mushtaha Tower. The Israeli army alleges that Hamas used these buildings as observation points.

Also this Sunday, a drone launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels hit Ramon International Airport, located in southern Israel, forcing a halt to operations for less than two hours, according to a spokesperson for the Israel Airports Authority.