Tens of thousands of people around the world are rallying to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon as Israel marks the end of a year of genocide against Palestinians.
Demonstrators gathered in dozens of cities on Monday to mark the first anniversary of the Hamas-led attack on Israel, as Israeli forces continue operations in Gaza and Lebanon and fears of a broader regional war grow.
In New Zealand, pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered in front of TVNZ public television in Auckland on Monday to call for a ceasefire, and clashed with members of the far-right Christian fundamentalist group Destiny Church.
According to the New Zealand Herald, 35 police officers were called to the scene to break up the rival groups. According to reports, police were pepper sprayed by one of the demonstrators as they tried to break up the disturbance that spilled onto the road near TVNZ.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said early Monday that New Zealand would continue to call for a ceasefire, restraint and de-escalation “rather than retaliation or retaliation”.
“There is no military action that will reduce tensions and conflicts in the region,” Luxon said, calling for a “two-state solution” to end the conflict.
In Australia, crowds gathered outside the country’s largest mosque in the Sydney suburb of Lakemba ahead of an afternoon rally.
Participants could be seen waving Palestinian flags and standing on sidewalks and streets that were closed off for the event, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
People in Pakistani cities also marked the first anniversary of Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, holding rallies and demonstrations to express solidarity with Palestinians.
Various political and religious organizations organized a series of events in the commercial capital of Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Faisalabad, Multan, Sargodha, Hyderabad and other cities.
Thousands of citizens, including students, women, and children, came out of their homes, offices, and schools to join the demonstration.
A commemorative event was also held in India’s capital New Delhi, where dozens of participants sang songs and raised slogans against the Gaza war.
Other vigils, ceremonies and protests are planned for later Monday, after a weekend of similar events around the world.
More than 1,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered in front of the US embassy in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta on Sunday, demanding that the US government stop supplying weapons to Israel.
In Morocco, tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in the capital Rabat, waving Palestinian flags and demanding that Saudi Arabia sever diplomatic relations with Israel, which was normalized in 2020.
Thousands of people also marched in cities across Turkey, including Istanbul and Ankara, in support of Gaza and Lebanon.
At the Vatican, Pope Francis called for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza and Lebanon and warned of the risk of “an even bigger war.”
Thousands of people also marched in New York’s Times Square on Saturday, some holding photos of those killed in Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. In Washington, D.C., a man attempted self-immolation as more than 1,000 people demonstrated in front of the White House to demand an end to U.S. military aid to Israel.
Marches were also reported in several European cities over the weekend.
