Arab News Japan

TOKYO: An “Emergency Protest” was held in the center of Tokyo on Sunday to commemorate 37 years since the beginning of the first Intifada, which is known as the Palestinian uprising against the Israeli occupation.

The protest organizers noted that the Intifada continued to this day and publicized the event with a dramatic poster showing Palestinian women demonstrating against Israel.

Yousef Alhelou, a Palestinian journalist born in Gaza who has been covering the genocide there, spoke to the demonstrators.

The demonstration was centered around the iconic Hachiko statue in Shibuya district, one of Tokyo’s dynamic youth activity centers.

The protesters stood united, waving Palestine flags, wearing keffiyehs, and raising placards with powerful slogans such as “Stop the Genocide,” “Free Palestine,” “Stop the Killing,” “Justice for the Palestinian People,” and “Boycott Israel.” 

“When you hear our speeches, please respond. Show the world that the people of Palestine are not alone and that their fight for freedom has ignited a fire inside all of us,” one activist passionately chanted in the demonstration, intensifying the protest’s message.

“We want the Japanese government to stop buying weapons from Israel and using our tax money to kill Palestinian Children,” a demonstrator told Arab News Japan.