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As the massive crowd of pro-Palestinian demonstrators assembled from the vicinity of the US embassy, over Vauxhall Bridge, and up to Buckingham Palace around 3pm on Saturday, a sudden silence descended.
The loud and chaotic shouts quieted down as protesters were urged to observe Armistice Day as a day of remembrance for the numerous lives lost in Gaza during the last five weeks, including many innocent children.
According to Husam Zumlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, the march served as a reminder that true peace can only be achieved once the weapons are no longer in use.
He stated that on this day, we honor the fallen soldiers and civilians who lost their lives in war, as well as those who continue to lose their lives.
Thousands of protesters walked through flare smoke throughout the march
Afterwards, the demonstrators observed a two-minute period of silence.
The intention was to address the criticism of one of the protestors’ most severe opponents, who had made every effort to prevent the demonstration from taking place.
It was created in reaction to a home secretary who referred to the regular Saturday demonstrations against the violence in Gaza as “hate marches.”
According to Ben Jamal, the organizer of the protest, “We are aware of the individuals spreading hate. We are familiar with Suella Braverman.”
Demonstrations assembled at the intersection of Hyde Park and began shortly after 12:00 PM.
In the middle of the day, the protesters gathered outside the Hilton hotel at the end of Park Lane, starting their march amidst clouds of red, white, and green smoke – representing the colors of the Palestinian flag.
Small kids wearing matching colors stood along the roads where the protestors paraded. Some held hands with their parents and joined other demonstrators, while others took the lead in shouting slogans.
Four adolescent males were captured on camera while sitting on a raised surface, holding up signs that stated, “Stop the Occupation of Israel”.
A young girl in a stroller on the outskirts of the protests at Hyde Park Corner started singing, “Palestine will be free, from the river to the sea.”
A group of protesters, guided by a circle of volunteers, marched along Grosvenor Place, passing by the Irish embassy on their right and Buckingham Palace on their left.
Hundreds of Jewish Socialists gathered and participated in the march, which began on a side street near Grosvenor Place.
As the protesters approached Victoria station, a small cluster of nine Orthodox Jews, which included a young boy, had assembled to show their support.
Nine members of the Orthodox Jewish community convened near Victoria Station to show their support for the protests.
The crowds cheered “Judaism is acceptable, but Zionism is not” and then applauded.
A supporter, who wishes to remain anonymous, shared with The Independent that they strongly believe “the violence needs to end.”
Worries about the presence of far-right counterprotesters were a major focus leading up to Armistice Day and before the midday start of the marches.
Tommy Robinson, a prominent figure in the far-right movement, incited a disturbance in Chinatown on Saturday morning during the Armistice Day silence at 11am. Additionally, a group of nationalist men engaged in confrontations with law enforcement in the Westminster area.
Tommy Robinson was the leader of a group of men with far-right beliefs who participated in counterprotests.
According to Mustafa al-Dabbagh, the representative of the Muslim Association of Britain, there is a significant amount of apprehension within certain Muslim communities leading up to Saturday’s march.
He stated that the home secretary should examine her actions and prioritize managing the streets, rather than using Islamophobic methods to encourage the far right and create more tension.
At approximately 1:15pm, as the marchers reached Victoria station, there were initial confrontations between far-right nationalists and pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
A dozen or so men outside the Duke of York pub started yelling at the marchers.
A young protester supporting Palestinian rights was shouted at near the Duke of York pub by Victoria station.
The police swiftly surrounded the group and a few of the protesters continued to taunt them, while volunteers encouraged them to rejoin the protest and avoid getting involved with the far-right group.
The men, on the other hand, many of whom held partially consumed pints, seemed noticeably disturbed by what they saw as a betrayal by the police.
“Why are you preventing us from passing through?” a man yelled at the officer. “You should be preventing them.”
Then, another group emerged at the midpoint of Vauxhall Bridge Road.
There was a noticeable sense of fear as around 20 men confronted a small group of people leading the march. The crowd called for assistance from the police, who were still maintaining control over the front of the march, further back.
Protesters and opponents confront each other on Vauxhall Bridge Road.
A group of police officers rushed ahead and the march was abruptly stopped just a few meters away from the side road, where the far-right group had emerged.
Afterwards, there was a noticeable change when numerous additional officers moved ahead to Vauxhall Bridge, where eight police vans were preventing more nationalists from entering another pub.
According to the Metropolitan Police, 82 individuals who identify as far-right protesters have been arrested as of the time of writing.
Police apprehended numerous individuals demonstrating in Tachbrook Street, Pimlico, in order to avoid a disturbance of public order.
At a distance along Vauxhall Bridge Road, an elderly protestor who preferred to remain anonymous was observed diffusing a conflict with another group of nationalists.
A woman, clutching a blood-stained doll, expressed her displeasure towards British politicians from various parties.
He informed The Independent: “I was simply attempting to engage in playful conversation with them in order to ease tensions.”
“I am a fan of West Ham, while they root for Chelsea. We shared a light-hearted exchange about this and also discussed the significance of Armistice Day.”
From the beginning, it was evident that Armistice Day held significant meaning for the numerous pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
“According to Mr. al-Dabbagh, remembering and participating in pro-Palestinian marches are interconnected. It would be insincere to claim otherwise.”
“We are requesting a ceasefire on the day of Armistice. It is disheartening if individuals do not comprehend this.”
At 11 o’clock in the morning at Marble Arch, a solitary man stood in silence. He was wearing a Palestinian scarf and a red poppy on his lapel. Other people around him seemed disinterested.
However, during the speakers’ appearance at the US embassy on Saturday, the protesters held a two-minute commemoration and received everyone’s full attention.
Photographs of children who have been killed in Gaza during the past five weeks are displayed along the street outside the United States embassy.
The march, which was defined by passionate and often loud chanting, abruptly became completely silent at 3pm.
Hundreds of thousands of people, stretching more than a mile and a half from near Battersea Park all the way back to Vauxhall station, were quiet.
Images of innocent individuals who lost their lives in the past five weeks in Gaza appeared on screens, causing people to quietly wipe away their tears. This was followed by a subdued round of applause.
Source: independent.co.uk
