Call for ceasefire in Gaza sees thousands take to Auckland streets

Sunday, 12 November 2023

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of central Auckland on Sunday to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

An appeal for New Zealand to call for a ceasefire in Gaza saw thousands take to the streets of central Auckland on Sunday afternoon.

The protest, which was arranged by community group Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA), marked a plea to the Government for Aotearoa to join other countries in demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Those at the front of the group carried a makeshift coffin while they led an estimated two thousand protestors from Aotea Square to Queen St.

Many protestors carried banners, with messages such as ‘Jews for peace’, ‘Never again doesn’t mean never again for us’ and ‘No violence in our name’.

On Sunday morning, the PSNA wrote to outgoing Prime Minister Chris Hikpkins and incoming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to call for New Zealand to join the “growing chorus” of countries calling a ceasefire in Gaza.

A group of young protestors sat on the steps of Aotea Square as they joined calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.

“How much longer will this slaughter of innocents continue before our political leaders speak out? It is unconscionable that we could remain silent,” PSNA national chair John Minto said.

The ongoing conflict in Gaza has sparked a number of protests across New Zealand – some in favour of Israel, others in favour of Palestine.

It’s estimated that at least two thousand people joined the march on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday’s march marks one of many seen across New Zealand since militant group Hamas’ surprise attack on Gaza.

More than 11,070 Palestinians, two-thirds of them women and minors, have been killed since the war began, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which does not not differentiate between civilian and militant deaths.

In October, Auckland Museum apologised after its decision to light up blue and white in support of Israel led to a gathering of pro-Palestine supporters gathering outside the museum.

Video of the incident shows multiple cars parked outside the museum, where Palestinian supporters waved flags, chanted “free Palestine” and covered the lights with jackets and scarfs, effectively “blacking out” the museum lights.

Just last week, Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick caused controversy when she chanted the first six words to a well known pro-Palestine slogan, “From the river to the sea”. To which the crowd replied, “Palestine will be free.”

Much of the offence comes from the fact that Hamas, the group that controls Gaza and which launched a deadly attack (killing more than 1000 civilians and taking hundreds of hostages) in October, includes the phrase in its constitution.