Hundreds take part in Birmingham city centre pro-Palestine march and call for ceasefire

Hundreds of people gathered in Birmingham city centre on Saturday (December 16) to call for an end to the conflict in Gaza.

The demonstration follows similar previous protests held over the last month in the city centre. Those at the rally called for an end to the war and chanted ‘ceasefire now’. Pro-Palestine marches also took place in Cotteridge and Alum Rock on Saturday ahead of the march in the city centre, which got underway at 1pm.

Chants of 'free Palestine' and 'ceasefire now' were sung during the protest. Protests are continuing after the seven-day Israel-Hamas ceasefire ended at the start of December.

Numerous rallys and marches against the conflict in Gaza have taken place since the war began in October with Birmingham having seen a number of pro-Palestine marches in recent weeks. The protests have seen thousands of people gather across Birmingham, calling for an end to the conflict. Sit down protests have also been held inside Birmingham's New Street station. 

West Midlands Police issued the following statement ahead of Saturday's march:"We are working with organisers to make ensure this takes place safely and securely. Over the last few months we have seen a number of vigils, demonstrations and other public gatherings since the attacks in Israel took place.

"While there have been pockets of disorder and some instances of hate speech, the majority of the protest activity has been lawful and has taken place without incident. Policing protest is always a balancing act between the rights and views of different groups, including the rights of the broader public. It is important that communities understand the responsibilities on organisers in relation to the protests."