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Pro-Palestinian protesters occupy railway stations

Pro-Palestinian protesters occupy railway stations

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators occupied two of Scotland's biggest railway stations during a day of protests.

They waved flags inside Edinburgh Waverley while a similar protest was earlier held at Glasgow Central on Saturday.

Network Rail said train services continued to operate.

Marches have been taking place across the UK to urge an end to Israeli attacks in Gaza,

The retaliatory strikes came after Hamas gunmen killed more than 1,400 people in Israel on 7 October.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says more than 9,400 people have been killed there.

Edinburgh councillor Alys Mumford who was speaking at the Edinburgh protest said the gathering at Waverley station was "spontaneous" and "peaceful" after police interrupted their marching route.

BBC Scotland understands no police restrictions were placed on the march, which had split into two groups.

Ms Mumford told BBC Scotland News: "I've been involved in Palestinian peace activism since 2008 and this is the biggest I've seen for a long time in Edinburgh.

"It is growing as people are realising that we are witnessing absolute horrific war crimes, the bombing of refugees, the bombing of hospitals, the bombing of refugee camps and children.

"That is one of the most powerful things about this protest, the amount of children here talking about how every child should have a right to life."

Protesters were heard chanting "free Palestine" and "ceasefire now". They waved flags and blew whistles.

@tenementals Sit down protest, Glasgow Central@tenementals
A sit down protest was held inside Glasgow Central station

A large pro-Palestinian demonstration also took place in Glasgow on Saturday.

A sit-in was held in Glasgow Central Station, where protesters could be heard chanting "occupation no more".

They marched to the BBC Scotland headquarters at Pacific Quay for a rally.

Glasgow BBC protest
Demonstrators in Glasgow staged a rally outside the headquarters of BBC Scotland

On Friday, protesters south of the border organised a sit-in at London's King's Cross Station after a demonstration was banned. Five people were arrested.

First Minister Humza Yousaf has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Gaza.

On X, formerly known as Twitter, he said: "There is an acronym that is unique to the Gaza Strip, WCNSF: Wounded Child No Surviving Family.

"This acronym should be seared into our collective conscience, and haunt us.

"We need an immediate ceasefire so no more children suffer."

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has said there will be no temporary ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza until all Israeli hostages were released.

Israel believes more than 200 people were kidnapped during the Hamas attacks.