Hundreds protest Israel’s attacks on Gaza in Sweden

Hundreds gathered in Stockholm on Saturday to protest Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip.

The demonstrators, who assembled in the Radmansgatan area following a call by civil society organizations, demanded an immediate end to war crimes against civilians in the Palestinian enclave.

Carrying banners that read: “Free Palestine, Free Gaza,” “Stop the Genocide” and “Boycott Israel,” the group marched toward parliament while chanting slogans such as “Children are being killed in Gaza” and “Freedom for Palestine.”

The demonstrators, carrying Palestinian flags, also alleged that the US was complicit in war crimes in Gaza.

'This is an ongoing genocide and a colonial project'

Swedish activist and comedian Kerim Arslanagic told Anadolu that he joined the protest to show his support for Palestine.

He said the oppression, lack of food and inadequate infrastructure endured by the Palestinians represent a profound loss for humanity.

“This has been continuing for Palestinians since 1948. This is an ongoing genocide and a colonial project. The colonialism that came to an end in Europe in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s is still continuing in Palestine today. Israel has pursued this through what they call a method of ‘mowing the grass,’ but after Oct. 7, no one could have predicted that events would reach this scale,” he said.

Arslanagic said individuals and artists should use the platforms they have to put pressure on politicians.

“If we make our voices heard, we can change things,” he said.

Following the events of Oct. 7, 2023, Israel launched a brutal offensive on Gaza, killing nearly 74,000 victims, injuring 175,000 and reducing most of the enclave to ruins.

Despite a ceasefire that took effect last October, Israel has continued to carry out attacks, killing more than 1,400 Palestinians and injuring nearly 5,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

A UN-commissioned inquiry said Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.