London, February 4 (RHC)-- Hundreds of thousands of protesters marched through central London on Saturday, demanding the Israeli regime stop the months-long genocidal war on the defenseless Palestinian people trapped in the besieged Gaza Strip.
On Saturday, the pro-Palestinian protesters in the UK staged the first national demonstration since the UN’s International Court of Justice ordered the Israeli regime to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide in Gaza.
The International Court of Justice, last month, ordered the Israeli regime to try and prevent genocidal acts from being committed by the Zionist forces inside Gaza but stopped short of ordering a ceasefire.
The organizers of the mass rally, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, titled the demonstration, "Ceasefire Now Stop The Genocide In Gaza." The demonstrators, who were carrying Palestinian flags and anti-Israel banners reading "Freedom for Palestine' and "End the Occupation", set off at noon (12:00 GMT) from Portland Place in Marylebone and passed through the west end to Whitehall where speeches are held.
In response, the Met Police dispatched hundreds of additional officers to London's streets. In this regard, the senior Met officer in charge of the operation, released a video message posted on X, formerly Twitter, warning the law enforcement agency will not put up with what he described as "hate or inexcusable behavior" during the march.
"Anyone crossing the line today should expect to be dealt with swiftly... (including) anyone who carries placards and banners, or makes statements, that may be a religious or racially aggravated offense," Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matt Ward warned.
Meantime, Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said, "We have been marching and protesting in our hundreds of thousands for more than three months warning ... (that) Israel’s actions demonstrate a genocidal intent.
"Israel has so far killed more than 27,000 Palestinian men, women and children. How long will our political leaders continue to aid and provide cover for genocide?
"We will march to Whitehall to bring our message home to Downing Street – the UK must end its complicity in Israel’s genocide and demand a ceasefire now."
Since the Israeli regime forces launched the genocidal war on the innocent Palestinian men, women and children trapped in the besieged Gaza Strip, British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has been backing the Israeli regime, voicing the UK Conservative Government’s all-out support for the criminal Zionist entity and its hawkish leader, Benjamin Netanyahu.