Woman arrested and charged after car collided with protestors at Palestine demo

13 January 2024 , 18:34

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A car was involved in a crash during a pro-Palestine demonstration in Edinburgh (Image: PA)

A car has crashed into a crowd of pro-Palestine protesters as speakers addressed thousands of people at the demonstration.

Police Scotland said it had received reports of minor injuries, but no one needed medical attention. Photographs on social media showed a black Seat Leon surrounded by protesters and police officers in the city centre on Saturday afternoon. A 70-year-old woman has been arrested and charged with a driving offence, the police force said.

An activist taking part in the protest, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, said: "As speakers were addressing the protest, a driver tried to drive their way through the crowd. Police tried to forcibly clear away protesters in order to facilitate the driver to get through. People resisted and they eventually had to intervene and take the driver out of the car."

Police said a woman was arrested and charged (PA)

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 2.30pm on Saturday, we were made aware of a road crash involving a car and a small number of pedestrians in Ramsay Lane, Edinburgh. Officers received reports of minor injuries from pedestrians, but no medical attention was required.

"A 70-year-old woman has been arrested and charged in connection with a driving offence. A report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal."

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The demonstration was one of several pro-Palestine protests taking place across the UK and Ireland on Saturday, including in London and Dublin. Organisers of the Edinburgh demonstration said "several thousand" people attended.

People taking part in a Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign demonstration at The Mound, Edinburgh, today (PA)

Huge crowds also gathered in London as part of a global day of action against the longest and deadliest war between Israel and Palestine in 75 years. The plight of children in the Gaza Strip after nearly 100 days of the Israel-Hamas war was the focus of the latest London march, symbolised by the appearance of Little Amal, a 3.5-metre (11.5-foot) puppet originally meant to highlight the suffering of Syrian refugees.

he puppet had become a human rights emblem during an 8,000-kilometre (4,970-mile) journey from the Turkish-Syrian border to Manchester in July 2001.

Nearly two-thirds of the 23,843 people killed during Israel's campaign in Gaza have been women and children, according to the Health Ministry. The London march was one of several others being held in European cities including Paris, Rome, Milan and Dublin, where thousands also marched along the Irish capital's main thoroughfare to protest Israel’s military operations in the Palestinian enclave.

Chiara Fiorillo