LONDON: Hundreds of schoolchildren took to the streets of Tower Hamlets on Thursday in the latest pro-Palestine demonstration to hit London, MailOnline reported.
The protest came after the borough’s Labour MP Rushanara Ali abstained from a Gaza ceasefire vote in Parliament on Wednesday night.
A total of 56 Labour MPs voted for a ceasefire in Gaza as party leader Keir Starmer was hit by a major revolt over his position on the Israel-Hamas war, which has outraged Muslim communities.
Ali’s abstention led to strong criticism from the protesters, who called for her resignation, expressing their disappointment that she did not support the vote, the Daily Mail reported.
Children and adults attended the demonstration in the streets of Bethnal Green, carrying Palestinian flags and placards calling for Israel to stop the war in Gaza.
Protesters were heard chanting, “what do we want — ceasefire, when do we want it — now,” and “free, free Palestine.”
Israel’s military assault has killed more than 11,200 people in Gaza, including 4,500 children, Gaza’s Health Ministry has reported.
Eight members of Starmer’s shadow ministerial team left their roles in order to defy the party position.
Pro-Palestinian supporters staged a large demonstration outside Parliament as the evening’s vote was taking place.
