Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators filled streets in multiple European cities on Saturday, calling for an end to the ongoing war in Gaza.
The protests came just hours before US President Donald Trump confirmed that American forces had launched strikes on three of Iran’s nuclear sites.
In London, large crowds marched through the capital waving Palestinian flags and wearing traditional keffiyeh scarves, AFP journalists reported. The British capital has seen monthly demonstrations since the Gaza war began nearly 20 months ago.
Over 10,000 people gathered in central Berlin, according to local police estimates, while organisers in Bern, Switzerland, said 20,000 protesters rallied in front of the national parliament building to demand government support for a ceasefire.
Outside Paris, thousands assembled at a French trade fair where Israeli defence companies were present, condemning war profiteering and voicing opposition to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
This weekend’s protests featured banners reading “Stop arming Israel” and “No war on Iran,” as demonstrators braved sweltering heat to express their anger over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and growing fears of broader regional conflict.
The protests unfolded before Trump declared on social media that US forces had carried out what he described as a “very successful attack” on Iranian nuclear facilities, adding that Iran must now “agree to end this war.”
Iran reported that more than 400 people had been killed following unprovoked Israeli strikes over the past week. Israel, meanwhile, reported that at least 25 of its citizens have died during the escalating violence. Israel claims the strikes were in response to evidence that Iran was nearing the development of nuclear weapons—a claim Tehran denies.
Among the protesters in London was a 31-year-old Iranian student, who declined to give her name. “I’m frightened for my family back home. I know my government is far from perfect, but it’s still my country,” she said.
Gaza, already suffering under conditions described as famine-like by UN agencies due to Israeli aid blockades, continues to endure heavy civilian casualties. According to Gaza’s civil defence agency, hundreds have been killed while attempting to reach aid distribution sites controlled by US- and Israeli-backed forces.
“People need to keep their eyes on Gaza—that’s where the genocide is happening,” said Nicky Marcus, a 60-year-old demonstrator in London.
In Berlin, demonstrators gathered near the German parliament, chanting slogans such as “Germany finances, Israel bombs.” Gundula, one of the demonstrators, explained her decision to march: “You can’t just sit at home and stay quiet. Now is the time to speak up.”
Marwan Radwan, another protester, condemned what he described as the “genocide currently taking place” and accused the German government of complicity.
In Bern, the rally was organised by a coalition of groups, including Amnesty International, Switzerland’s Social Democratic Party, the Greens, and the Swiss Trade Union Federation. Demonstrators carried banners reading “Stop the occupation,” “Stop the starvation, stop the violence,” and “Right to self-determination,” while chanting, “We are all the children of Gaza.”
The Palestinian health ministry says the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 55,637 people since the war erupted. Israel maintains that it is targeting Hamas following the militant group’s attack on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,219 people inside Israel. Israeli officials strongly reject allegations of genocide.
