Protesters took to Piccadilly Circus to demonstrate against Israel raiding a flotilla carrying aid into Gaza
Londoners have joined multiple cities in spontaneous overnight protests setting off fireworks in Central London. Protesters took to Piccadilly Circus to demonstrate against Israel raiding the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was carrying aid into Gaza.
Video footage posted to X shows crowds of protesters carrying signs reading “Keir Starmer is a War Criminal” and Palestinian flags through Piccadilly Circus this morning at around 1am. The protesters also set off fireworks in the middle of the street as part of their demonstration, holding up buses travelling slowly behind them.
The group was one of many which took to the streets to decry Israel’s blocking of aid meant for Gaza. Italian unions called a general strike for Friday in solidarity with the international aid flotilla for Gaza, while protests sprang up in a number of cities late on Wednesday after reports that the ships had been intercepted
The Global Sumud Flotilla consists of more than 40 civilian boats is carrying about 500 parliamentarians, lawyers and activists. It has been trying to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza with medicine and food, despite repeated warnings from Israel to turn back.
Israeli forces boarded the boats which had been sailing to Gaza, before taking a number of activists to an Israeli port on Wednesday. A total of 23 boats had been intercepted or stopped, according to the flotilla’s own data.
Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg is among the hundreds of activists on board the vessels. The Israeli Foreign Ministry posted footage from the interception showing Thunberg sitting on the deck of a boat, being handed water and a jacket by a member of the Israeli military.
Israel’s foreign ministry posted on X: “Several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port. Greta and her friends are safe and healthy.”
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