No Xmas as Usual during Genocide: Pro-Palestine Rallies Held in Western Countries

IQNA – Rallies were held in cities in various Western countries on the weekend to protest against the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza and demand the delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave.  

Paris, Berlin, London, New York, Sydney, and Melbourne witnessed impassioned demonstrations urging solidarity and action for Palestine.

Hundreds gathered in Paris under the slogan: “No Christmas in Gaza” to denounce the ongoing war in the besieged enclave.

The Euro-Palestine Association was behind the rally at the Innocents Fountain in the French capital.

Olivia Zemor, French political activist and the president of the Association insisted on the necessity of organizing more pro-Palestinian protests with the beginning of the new year.

“For our part, we have a duty to let these people know that they are not alone and that they have the support of millions of citizens in all countries,” she said.

“We repeat, the people of Palestine are experiencing the most dramatic hours of their long history, abandoned by the powers of this world, Biden and Macron in the lead,” Zemor added.

Protesters condemned the killing of journalists, doctors and lawyers by the Israeli army and the world’s silence on the genocide.

They also repeated: “Israel assassin, Macron accomplice” and “Free Palestine,” and urged an effective boycott of Israel and those who help it against Palestinian civilians.

Nora, an activist with the “Caregiver Collective for Gaza” told Anadolu that the group is working to organize more rallies despite the odious amalgams that the government tries to balance any support for the Palestinians with antisemitism.

“There is a lot of anger, but it does not at all reach the level that we have seen for example in the United States or in England,” she said. “We denounce the hypocrisy of our governments, of Macron first, and of all his allies in the region, who claims to be concerned about the humanitarian situation when in reality he is one of the first to finance the Israeli army.”

In Berlin, a robust pro-Palestinian demonstration brought together hundreds, rallying from Kreuzberg to the iconic Brandenburg Gate, echoing calls for "Solidarity with Palestine."

Police estimated several hundred participating in the peaceful gathering. Marchers, draped in Palestinian scarves and brandishing placards condemning Gaza bombings as war crimes, passionately advocated for Palestinian freedom, waving flags and chanting for an end to the Israeli violence.

Die Linke, an opposition group in Berlin, led the protest, urging Germany's government to push for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire while lifting the blockade on the Gaza Strip. The call echoed similar sentiments worldwide, amplified by actions in London.

In London, activists orchestrated a demonstration on Oxford Street during the Christmas shopping bustle, urging a boycott of "Israeli-linked" brands. Chants of "free Palestine" resonated as activists called for consciousness in consumer choices, focusing on boycotting specific brands seen as supporting Gaza's devastation.

Meanwhile, across Australia, from Melbourne's convoy demanding a permanent Gaza ceasefire to Sydney's massive march past St Mary's Cathedral, the call for an end to Israeli military onslaught surged.

Vigils and protests highlighted the urgency of the situation and pressed for international aid, echoing the United Nations' recent resolution for increased humanitarian assistance.

Rallies were also staged across the US amid the last-minute holiday shopping frenzy, highlighting the urgent need for a ceasefire and more aid to lessen the suffering caused by the Israeli genocidal war in Gaza.

In Brattleboro, Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, and Balboa Park, demonstrators voiced urgent calls for an immediate halt to the Israeli war while urging the United States to cease funding the regime.

In Balboa Park, a peaceful 2 1/2-hour rally witnessed chants and Palestinian flag-waving, drawing an estimated 1,000 participants.

Pro-Palestinian marches gathered in Philadelphia City Center to draw attention to the ongoing siege of Gaza. The protest culminated in a tense police standoff near Rittenhouse Square, resulting in the arrest of two individuals for disorderly conduct.

The Philly Palestine Coalition, amidst over 60 demonstrations since the war's onset, staged this latest rally during last-minute Christmas shopping.

Echoes of "While you're shopping, bombs are dropping!" reverberated through the march, amplifying Gaza's staggering death toll of more than 20,500 since the Israeli regime initiated its military onslaught on October 7.

Pro-Palestine demonstrators also took to the streets of Ottawa, Canada’s capital to denounce Israel's ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

Organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement, the protest, dubbed "No Xmas as Usual During Genocide" featured some protesters donning Santa Claus costumes as the repeated refrain of calling for a permanent ceasefire in the region and for Canada to end arms sales to Israel.

"Palestinian Christians and the city of Bethlehem cancelled Christmas celebrations this year in solidarity with Gaza," the Palestinian Youth Movement said in a post on Instagram(opens in a new tab), advertising the rally, which began at the Human Rights Monument on Elgin Street before weaving through downtown Ottawa.

Source: Agencies