Pro-Palestinian protesters marched through Manchester city centre this morning (November 25), targeting a bank and offices of companies which they claim are linked to an Israeli arms firm. The demonstration, which started in Piccadilly Gardens at around 11.30am, saw more than 100 people protest outside Barclays in Market Street, before marching down Deansgate towards Peter Street.
Signs saying “Barclays Fund Gaza Genocide” and “Palestinian Blood on Barclays Hands” were displayed outside the branch which was shut. Leaflets distributed during the demonstration claim that the bank invests more than £1bn in arms companies supplying Israel.
Barclays has been approached by the Manchester Evening News but declined to comment. It comes after a four-day break in fighting began on Friday (November 24) allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza while some Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners are released.
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The ceasefire follows seven weeks of war between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian group which controls Gaza. The organisation, which is considered a terrorist group by the UK and other Western governments, killed around 1,200 Israelis in an attack on October 7.
Since then, thousands of Palestinians have been killed in Gaza. A member of Manchester Palestine Action – one of the groups involved in organising Saturday’s demonstration in the city centre – said that protesters want the voices of the Palestinian people to be heard.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, the activist who asked not to be named said: “The governments do nothing – they support Israel. So we have to take action on the roads and we have to have a bit of humanity, unlike them, and stand with Palestine.”
Protesters marched down Deansgate and demonstrated outside the office of property consultants Fisher German which they claim has links with Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit. The military technology company sold part of its Oldham-based business last year following many protests at the site in Waterhead.
Demonstrations have been taking place across Greater Manchester since the latest conflict started seven weeks ago. Police were present at the protest in the city centre on Saturday (November 25) with dozens of GMP officers deployed to the demonstration.
Pro-Palestinian posters were distributed at the demonstration with some protesters sticking them on shop windows in Deansgate. Several chants were repeated throughout the hour-and-a-half march, including the controversial ‘from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ chant which Jewish groups have said is an anti-Semitic slogan, arguing that it advocates for the eradication of Israel.
At St Peter’s Square, where the demonstration concluded, some protesters held a banner which said: ‘Jews Against Gaza Genocide’. Fisher German and Elbit were contacted by the Manchester Evening News after the protest, while Barclays declined to comment.
