Hundreds rally in Stockholm on New Year’s Eve in support of Palestinians
Hundreds of people gathered in central Stockholm late Wednesday, canceling New Year’s celebrations to protest Israel’s actions in Gaza and call on Sweden to halt arms sales to Israel.
Despite freezing temperatures, demonstrators assembled at Segels Torg Square following a call by civil society groups, holding banners calling for an immediate ceasefire and highlighting civilian deaths, including children, in Gaza.
Organizers said the protest was intended as a vigil for civilians killed in the conflict. “We refuse to begin a new year by turning a blind eye to injustice,” the group said in a statement, accusing Israel of failing to uphold peace commitments with Palestinians.
Waving Palestinian flags and carrying torches, protesters later marched toward the Swedish Parliament.
Palestinians accuse Israel of repeatedly violating a ceasefire that halted a two-year war in Gaza. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 71,000 people have been killed and over 171,000 injured since October 2023. Since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, at least 414 people have been killed and more than 1,100 injured.
