Crowds gathered in Dundee’s City Square on Friday to protest the treatment of Palestinians by the Israeli government.
The protest, which began at 2pm, was attended by scores of people waving Palestinian banners and flags.
It has been fuelled by recent fighting in Gaza, in which Israeli artillery and airstrikes are believed to have killed multiple people, with 119 deaths being reported.
Strikes from militant group Hamas into Israel have also left eight dead.
‘It makes me so proud to see Dundee supporting Palestine’
Protesters held signs marked with slogans such as “Jews Against Zionism” and “Free Palestine.”
Those in attendance included school and university students, members of local mosques and others who support the movement.
Ayman Shaw, a Palestinian who lives in Dundee, said: “It makes me so proud to see that Dundee is supporting Palestine here.
“Sometimes I feel sad when I hear that children are being killed in airstrikes every day and I feel like the whole world is silent, there is no justice.
“It just makes me proud to see that Dundee are supporting my home.”
His wife, Zena Awad, added: “We just want peace for Palestine.
“We’re very proud that Dundee has recognised it.”
‘This is not an anti-Jewish thing, it’s not anti-Semitic’
The protest has also drawn the attention of some of Dundee’s older residents, such as 58-year-old Jeff McDermott.
He said: “I’ve been protesting for years, in the 80s I fought against apartheid in South Africa, and now I’m here.
“In the words of Nelson Mandela: ‘Our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of Palestinians.’
“We need to put an end to this ethnic cleansing and kicking people out of their homes.”
The protester was also eager to combat any allegations that the protest may be anti-Semitic, saying: “This is not an anti-Jewish thing, it is not anti-Semitic.
“The Israeli government want this to be seen as anti-Semitic, but when I criticized South Africa in the 80s did that make me a racist?
“There are plenty of protests against this going on in Israel too.”
Others, such as 22-year-old Yousef Khalil, are newer to the movement.
He said: “You see it every day, bombings going on, calling people just an hour before to get out of their homes where they’ve lived their whole lives.”
‘A black day for Palestinian children’
Some protesters also wore all black in mourning of those who have been killed in the airstrikes.
Mohammed Bhatti, who was joined at the protest by his two children, called it a “black day for Palestinian children.”
He said: “Innocent people who are doing nothing have been killed, they’ve got nothing to do with this conflict.
“My daughter has taken the day off school to join me here, my son too.
“He took the day off work because he wants to be here.
“I’m wearing all black because today is a black day for us.
“There is no religion which says it is okay to kill innocent children, none.”
Police: Protesters ‘followed social distancing’
Police Scotland officers attended to ensure social distancing was followed.
A spokeswoman said: “Our approach throughout the pandemic has been to engage with the public, explain the legislation and guidance, encourage compliance and use enforcement as a last resort.
“Those who gathered at the Caird Hall in Dundee today did so peacefully, wore masks and followed social distancing.
“We continue to ask everyone to do the right thing to stop the spread of the virus.”
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