From Paris to Madrid: riots in solidarity rallies for Palestinians

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In the French capital Paris, the police used tear gas and water cannons against the demonstrators

Photo: GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT / AFP

In view of the dramatic escalation of the Middle East conflict, solidarity rallies for the Palestinians took place across Europe on Saturday, including in Berlin and other German cities.

Demonstrators in Paris, London, Madrid and Athens also called for an end to the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.

In the Berlin district of Neukölln, riots broke out during a pro-Palestinian demonstration (read more here)

In Paris

, the police used tear gas and water cannons to enforce a previously issued ban on demonstrations.

The police asked businessmen to close their shops along the planned route from the Barbès neighborhood to the Place de la Bastille.

4,200 police officers were on duty in the area, but young people gathered in several streets.

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In some places, demonstrators in Paris played a game of cat and mouse with the police

Photo: THOMAS COEX / AFP

Some protesters threw stones at the officers and, according to AFP correspondents, started a game of cat and mouse with the security forces across several streets.

The demonstrators kept shouting "Liberate Palestine" and "Israel Murderers".

The short-term ban on demonstrations in Paris was issued because the security authorities feared serious riots like in 2014, when synagogues and other Jewish institutions were targeted.

In other French cities, however, pro-Palestinian demonstrations were allowed to take place.

According to information from the police and organizers, around 4,000 people took part

in Strasbourg

.

In London

, thousands of demonstrators called on the British government to work to end the Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip.

In front of the Israeli embassy, ​​they waved Palestinian flags and held up signs demanding, among other things, the "liberation" of the Palestinian territories from the Israeli occupation.

The organizers of the protests in London spoke of 150,000 participants, the police did not provide any information.

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A young man stands next to a burned Israel flag in the Spanish capital, Madrid

Photo: GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP

According to police, around 2,500 people took to the streets

in Madrid

in support of the Palestinians.

"Jerusalem, Eternal Capital of the Palestinians," read banners.

"This is not a war, this is genocide!" Yelled demonstrators on the way from Atocha train station to the central square of Puerta del Sol.

The demonstrators called on Europeans to stop cooperating with Israel.

Around 500 people are protesting against the Israeli attacks

in the Greek capital

Athens

.

In front of the Israeli embassy there was a scuffle between the participants and the police, the officers used water cannons.

Despite attempts at international mediation, the worst escalation of violence in years between Israel and Palestinians has continued for days (read here why the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is escalating

)

.

mjm / AFP