Hundreds gather in London for first pro-Palestinian march of the year
They staged a sit-in on Westminster Bridge.
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters staged a sit-in on Westminster Bridge in their first major demonstration in 2024.
They blocked off the bridge and the surrounding roads after a march from St James’s Park today.
The demonstration, organised by the Free Palestine Coalition, renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
It also called for the UK to stop arms sales to Israel and an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
They met at the park 10am and after several initial arrests marched to Westminster before being stopped by officers at Big Ben.
Many of the protesters then gradually joined a sit-in that was fenced off on three sides by a police cordon.
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Many of the protesters held up hands covered in red paint and wore face masks of politicians like Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden.
The Met Police said this afternoon: ‘All protesters have now left the area around Westminster Bridge. Officers remain on-duty in central London and are ready to respond to any further demonstrations.’
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