Pro-Palestine demonstrators have stormed the Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham this afternoon after more than 100 people marched into the city, stopping traffic.
The demonstration was monitored by West Midlands Police but officers could not stop a stream of those involved getting inside the giant mall when they reached the centre of Britain’s second largest city.
BirminghamLive reports Bullring security staff “argued with police officers” as the demonstration was split between those who made it inside and those who were kept out.
The march was organised by Birmingham Palestine Action and came shortly after Labour MP Steve McCabe’s office was picketed during a surgery with constituents this morning.
Gatherings also took place elsewhere in the Sutton Coldfield and Alum Rock areas of the city, the latter linked to Ladywood MP Shabana Mahmood abstaining in a Commons vote calling for a Gaza ceasefire.
The events came after several weekends of protests in Birmingham in response to the conflict, which included a rush hour sit-in at Birmingham New Street station earlier this week.
Police were at the scene in Small Heath as an estimated 100-plus protesters moved from Small Heath Park, down Coventry Road and headed towards the McDonald’s by Bordesley Circus island.
In London hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters have began marching from outside Chalk Farm station in the north of the capital as part of a day of national action.
Demonstrators chanted “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and “Free, free Palestine” as they marched towards Camden Town station.
Some activists held signs saying “Who the f*** doesn’t vote for a ceasefire?” and “Starmer shame on you” as they walked through Camden.
Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said the rallies around the country were organised to show that “ordinary people” support a ceasefire.
Mr Jamal said: “This Saturday, ordinary people across the UK will come out again to show the vast majority of them support a ceasefire.
“They will show their solidarity with Palestinians who are suffering unimaginable harm. They will also demand the root causes are not forgotten.
“We demand justice for the Palestinian people – their right to self-determination and to live in freedom, safety, and with full human rights.”
