Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza continued in Tokyo on Saturday and this time it was noisier than before.

The mainly young activists had asked participants to bring along anything that would make a noise for a demo that they labeled “Sound Up for Palestine.” They asked people to bring drums, cans, buckets, frying pans, ladles, maracas and “anything that makes noise.”

Saturday’s demonstration took place in the busy area near Shibuya Station and was aimed at disseminating more information on the massacres committed by the Israeli army against Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

Several activists held South African flags next to Palestinian flags to thank South Africa for filing a complaint against Israel at the International Court of Justice. Portraits of Nelson Mandela and signs telling people not to remain silent decorated Shibuya Square next to the famous Shibuya Crossing. One sign read “We will not be silent”, while another said “Your silence is violence.”

Many young people of different nationalities wore keffiyehs in the rain and chanted slogans in support of Palestine: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, “Shut up, you assassins”, “Nethanyahu, Israel, the world is watching you.”

They also reminded people of other actions, such as the boycott of the Itochu aviation company for its collaboration with the Israeli company Elbit, a supplier to the Israeli army, which has bombed civilians and civilian infrastructures, including hospitals and universities, in Gaza.