Global Protests for a Free Palestine: Photo Essay

Voices are echoing worldwide as tens of thousands of people take to the streets to demand an immediate cease-fire and an end to Israel’s war on Gaza.

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By Iman Mohamed

4 MIN READ

Jan 23, 2024

It’s been more than 100 days since Israel declared war and began bombing Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023. In that time, the Israeli military has killed more than 25,000 Gazans, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. Many of these attacks—and the gruesome aftermath—have been captured and shared live on video, as journalists and residents of Gaza document the constant bombardment. As the world watches the horrors unfold, a surge of massive protests calling for a cease-fire spread across the globe, from Washington, D.C., to London, Tokyo, Karachi, Pakistan, and many more.

Despite claims that protest is ineffective, time after time, mass direct action has proved that it is a meaningful response to injustice. Since the start of Israel’s assault on Gaza, hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets to raise their voices and demand a free Palestine—even as global powers and mainstream media continue a near-blackout of Palestinian voices, instead amplifying Zionist and Israeli messaging.

Here are nine international protests demonstrating solidarity with the people of Gaza:

1. Days of action in San Francisco

On Nov. 14, 2023, pro-Palestine protestors marched in downtown San Francisco, California, as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference was being held through November 17—drawing dozens of world leaders and hundreds of CEOs from 21 member economies in the Pacific Rim. On Nov. 16, protestors blocked the westbound Bay Bridge. *Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images*

2. Protesters march in London to call for permanent cease-fire

In central London on Nov. 25, 2023, protesters holding signs and Palestinian flags participated in a “National March for Palestine” and called for a cease-fire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Big Ben and Britain’s Houses of Parliament are in the background. *Photo by Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images*

3. Protesters march for Palestine in Washington, D.C.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 13, 2024, for a pro-Palestinian rally in support of a cease-fire in the war between Gaza and Israel. *Photo by Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty Images*

4. Indonesians rally in support of Gaza

In Jakarta, Indonesia, thousands gathered in front of the U.S. Embassy on Dec.17, 2023, to demonstrate support for Palestinians. *Photo by Firdaus Wajidi/Anadolu via Getty Images*

5. South Africans demand cease-fire in Gaza

Pro-Palestinian activists wave flags, chant, and hold signs as they march from Mary Fitzgerald Square to Nelson Mandela Bridge in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Nov. 29, 2023, during a demonstration by various political parties and trade unions. *Photo by Davide Longari/AFP via Getty Images*

6. Protesters in Karachi protest on the 100th day of genocide in Gaza

Thousands came together at a pro-Palestinian march in Karachi, Pakistan, on Jan. 14, 2024. *Photo by ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images*

7. Thousands rally in support of Palestinians in Berlin

Several hundred demonstrated in Berlin, Germany, on Nov. 5, 2023, for a free Palestine and an end to the war in the Middle East. The procession started at Hallesches Tor. *Photo by Christoph Soeder/Picture Alliance via Getty Images*

8. Hundreds protest in Cyprus

Hundreds protested in Nicosia, in the capital city of Cyprus, on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023. After a brief cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, fighting resumed in the Gaza Strip. *Photo by Danil Shamkin/NurPhoto via Getty Images*

9. Protesters in Japan rally in support of Palestinians

Around 1,500 people rallied in Tokyo, Japan, on Nov. 15, 2023. Demonstrators came together again on Nov. 29, 2023, pictured here, as part of the International Day of Solidarity With the Palestinian People. *Photo by David Mareuil/Anadolu via Getty Images*

Iman Mohamed is the audience engagement editor at YES!, where she is in charge of the organization’s robust social media platforms and creating a strategy for YES! editorial content to deepen our relationship with the YES! community. A media enthusiast with a degree in journalism and international studies from the University of Washington, Iman specializes in digital storytelling and creative promotion of digital articles. She has reported for Seattle Globalist, The UW Daily, and interned at Real Change. In her free time, Iman likes to read mystery books, travel, and hang out with her friends.

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