Another pro-Palestine protest was held in Manchester today to mark International Genocide Prevention Day.
Hundreds of people marched across the city and shouted “Ceasefire. Stop genocide” to support the people of Gaza.
There was a police presence as the protesters, some carrying Palestine flags, made their way through the city towards the cathedral.
Candace, one of the protestors, said: “Christmas started in Palestine, it started in Bethlehem. Christmas has been cancelled in Bethlehem because of everything that’s going on, so it’s good to remind people and have solidarity.”
Ten weeks on since the conflict began, many protests have been held in Manchester and across the world in the previous weeks.
Israel has defended its attacks on Gaza, saying it has the right to defend itself following Hamas’ attack on a music festival on October 7 which killed 1200 people.
One protester felt it was important to continue to march and show that the majority of the British public do not agree with the support the British government has shown for Israel.
He said it’s important to show “the people think for themselves”.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza paused temporarily as a truce began on November 24 and was extended twice, involving Israeli women and children and foreign hostages being freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Israel resumed fighting in Gaza on December 1 after accusing Hamas of breaking the agreement to fire toward Israeli territory.
Katie, one of the protesters, said of the ceasefire: “It’s only seven days long and it’s starting again. Gaza is just a wasteland now, so many people are displaced or dead, or injured.
“The government doesn’t really care. There is no real leader you can look to to try and fix things because Keir Stamer is just as bad as Rishi Sunak.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called for temporary pauses in Gaza but rejected a longer ceasefire during Prime Minister’s Questions in October.
Mr Sunak said: “The first and most important principle is that Israel has the right to defend itself under international law. Our support for that position is absolute and unchanged.”
