The streets are roaring. From London to Sydney, global protests are calling for an immediate halt to Israel’s Gaza siege plan — and London has become the epicenter.
In the UK capital, police arrested over 500 protesters during what authorities called a “high-risk” demonstration. Many were detained for supporting Palestine Action, a group recently banned under counter-terror laws. According to our recent coverage of London’s protest crackdown, witnesses say the atmosphere remained largely peaceful until police closed in.
But the outrage is far from limited to Britain. Across Europe, huge marches took over the streets — from Madrid’s bustling squares to The Hague’s “Red Line” protest, which saw tens of thousands dressed in red demanding sanctions and humanitarian corridors. It echoed the scale of previous mass movements we saw in our report on Sydney’s Harbour Bridge march for Gaza.
Why the Anger Is Growing
The UN has warned that the Gaza siege could lead to mass starvation, with children already dying from acute malnutrition. Our deep-dive on the humanitarian threat in Gaza explains why aid groups say the blockade is “a death sentence for civilians.”
The UK’s ban on Palestine Action has also ignited a national debate over free speech and civil liberties — a clash similar in tone to controversies we examined in our special on protest law changes in major democracies.
What’s Next?
Activists are vowing to return to the streets. Legal challenges to the London arrests are expected, and global calls for a humanitarian ceasefire are intensifying. As with previous global flashpoints, this movement may keep growing — and as we saw in our past analysis of solidarity campaigns, sustained pressure can shift political agendas.