Ahead of Hamas attack anniversary, the world protests — against Israel

In Berlin, 500 additional police personnel were deployed on Saturday, 5 October, the eve of the historic Hamas attack on Israeli soil that precipitated a year-long conflict in West Asia.

The city is seeing a spate of protest marches on both sides of the Middle Eastern fault lines this weekend, ahead of the 7 October anniversary, with rallies against 'anti-Semitism' and in support of Israel as well as demonstrations calling for a 'Free Palestine' and siding with the Lebanese.

The very first of these was taken out on 4 October.

In front of Humboldt University, an array of blue-and-white banners were on display. 'Wir sind Humboldt', the demonstrators proudly proclaimed alongside a set of empty chairs and posters of the Hamas hostages from that day.

Across the city, though, their rivals called for a ceasefire and an end to genocide in Gaza. There was an instance reported by DW, the German news outlet, of them shouting "forbidden slogans" in Kreuzberg and inviting police (and legal) action. [One of the forbidden phrases in Germany is 'From the river to the sea', for instance.]

While senator Iris Spranger, in charge of interior affairs in the city-state of Berlin, declared all actions deemed 'anti-semitic' would be prosecuted, commissioner Reem Alabali-Radovan — who is tasked with the racism watch — said "There must also be a space for people, where they can point to the suffering of the people in Gaza or in the region" and held this was not in contradiction to a policy of non-tolerance for antisemitism.

Germany has historically, given the aftermath of World War II, been profoundly pro-Israel — and vociferously so since 7 October 2023. And yet, in more recent months, there has been greater criticism of the official German government stance — both within and outside Germany.

In London, protestors filled the streets in an anti-genocide march to Downing Street — among their demands being that the UK and the EU 'stop arming Israel', and calling for the Zionist state to get its 'hands off Lebanon'. Organisers claimed some 40,000 people attended the 'National March for Palestine'.

Police deployment was boosted here too, because some of the groups involved called for action against businesses supporting or benefitting from Israel — including the British Museum.

Manchester saw quite a turnout as well, with placards recalling the 76 year history of the Nakba and protesting against Israel's further "ethnic cleansing" in response to the 7 October Hamas attack.

New York's Times Square also saw banners calling for an arms embargo and chants of "Gaza, Lebanon you will rise, the people are by your side."

In Rome, things got even more heated than in Berlin, with the police turning tear gas and water cannons on 6,000-odd protestors defying a ban to march to the city centre.

Stockholm and Copenhagen saw large turnouts too. Indeed, marches resounded through key cities in Denmark, Ireland (a Palestine supporter from the start of this latest round in the Israel–Palestine conflict), France (more an Israel supporter, especially early on) and Switzerland too. 

France is one of the many countries that was once aligned with Tel Aviv and is now shifting toward a more critical approach — though still more so in words than action — as international voices calling for Israel to be held accountable for its actions in the occupied territories gain strength in the wake of the ICJ case.

Emmanuel Macron's constituents seem to be in agreement, given the numbers seen at rallies in Basel and Paris.

In Canada, many with a Latin American affiliation also spoke up for Palestine, possibly seeing a colonial threat they recognise all too well.

Vancouver saw street crossings choked.

In Melbourne, a massive rally headed out from Swanston Street to Flinders Street station, congregating to sing a song once banned on Spotify for its identification with Palestine — with some debate across news channels on whether the crowds were 2,000 or 50,000.

Sydney followed suit on October 6, Sunday. One of the participants posted on X saying:

'We walk for peace.

We walk in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who have lost so very many loved ones.

We walk together with those who treat others with dignity, respect, and love.'

In Dublin, Ireland, the protestors were calling for the Irish government to now impose sanctions on Israel. Amongst their supporters was Pavee Point, an NGO involved in promoting the rights of the Roma and Traveller peoples.

In Philippines, students of the University of the Philippines Baguio protested in Malcolm Square on 6 October, Sunday.

In Kansas, United States, one citizen held up a placard that reads "I can't believe we're still protesting this shit".

In Cape Town, a march to South Africa's parliament building was organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign on 5 October. 

Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, saw a demonstration outside the US embassy calling for an arms embargo as well.

And closer home, in India, Bengaluru's Freedom Park saw an assemblage of hundreds put together an impromptu shrine to those killed in Palestine, of them 16,000 estimated to be children — a number surely overshadowing the utmost estimation of the Israeli toll of 7 October 2023 (hostages included).

Israel's official statements talked of 1,200 people killed by Hamas and 250 taken hostage.

Palestine estimates 42,000 killed on its side in the retaliation and almost all of its 2.3 million displaced, left at risk of starvation and disease, if not death in the assault that continues.

Even as all these protestors marched, Israel continued its 'action' against Beirut, the latest entrant into the West Asia conflict.

However, it is notable that a year into its 'self-defense', international media headlines too are talking more and louder about the outpouring of pro-Palestine support — and many of the most popular agency stories do not shoehorn 'antisemitism' into the selfsame narrative.