Multiple European countries stage mass pro-Palestine protests

China

Multiple European countries stage mass pro-Palestine protests

2025-10-05 09:12 Last Updated At：16:27

People in several European countries staged pro-Palestine protests on Saturday, condemning Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip while expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people.

In Britain, protesters rallied at Trafalgar Square in central London, holding banners, placards and flags of Palestine declaring support for the Palestinians.

"I am here to protest the genocide in Gaza. I am here to protest the annihilation of 66,000 Palestinians and the complicity of this government in doing absolutely nothing to fight for them. I am here to support the people who have died and continue to be killed in a ruthless manner," said a protester.

According to London's Metropolitan Police, at least 442 people were arrested during Saturday's protest.

Large-scale demonstrations also erupted in Italy and France on Saturday. Protesters took to the street to show solidarity with Palestine, demanding that their governments cease cooperation with Israel.

"In order to recognize the sacrosanct right of the Palestinian people to live in their own land, I am here to demonstrate for a stop to the genocide of the Palestinian people and for the blockade of Israel, which is committing the worst crimes in history," said a protester in Roma.

The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 67,074, with 169,430 others injured since the conflict between Hamas and Israel erupted on October 7, 2023, Gaza's health authorities said in a statement on Saturday.

NATO's Arctic activities pose security threat to Russia: ambassador

Russia is taking all necessary measures to ensure its national security amid the growing presence and military activities of NATO member states in the Arctic region, a Russian diplomat said on Saturday.

RIA Novosti quoted Russian Ambassador to Norway Nikolai Korchunov as saying that recent military preparations by Norway, Britain and other NATO countries on the alliance's northern flank pose direct security risks to Russia, destabilize the Arctic region and increase the likelihood of dangerous incidents.

It is clear that the intensified militarization of Norway's northern regions and the internationalization of military activity in the Arctic will not strengthen security but instead fuel military-political tensions and escalation, Korchunov said.

He stressed that these negative trends cause justified concern and compel Russia to take all necessary steps to safeguard its security.

Britain and Norway signed a new defense cooperation agreement on Thursday. The agreement includes joint maritime patrols in waters between Greenland, Iceland, Britain and Norway to monitor movements of Russian Navy submarines. It also provides for increasing the number and duration of British Royal Marines deployments on Norwegian territory, and envisages the possible creation of supporting military infrastructure in the country's northern regions.