1000s in UK protest Gaza strikes
2009-01-03 17:00
London - Demonstrators took to the streets across Britain on Saturday to protest against Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.
The biggest rally was in London, where organisers were expecting thousands of protestors including singer Annie Lennox and former London mayor Ken Livingstone to march through the British capital.
Demonstrators on the event organised by the Stop the War Coalition were to leave old shoes for Prime Minister Gordon Brown at his Downing Street residence, in the spirit of an Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at US President George W Bush.
Former Eurythmics star Lennox said both the Palestinians and Israelis were "wrong" and a total ceasefire was the only option.
She said the intervention from Bush blaming Hamas for starting the violence, had not helped the situation.
'Petrol on fire'
She told the BBC: "The problem is, from my perspective, they are pouring petrol onto the fire.
"They have to sit down. This is a small window of opportunity just before things kick off.
"For every one person killed in Gaza, they are creating 100 suicide bombers. It's not just about Gaza, it's about all of us."
Protests were also due to be held in other cities, including Manchester in northwest England and in Glasgow.
The demonstrations cap a week of demonstrations in London over the Israeli military clampdown, including a rally outside Egypt's embassy in London on Friday, urging Cairo to open its border with Gaza to allow refugees through.
The Israeli offensive has killed at least 436 people, including 75 children, and wounded almost 2 300 inside the territory, according to Gaza medics.