Pro-Palestine march draws over half a milllion people to Istanbul’s Galata Bridge on New Year’s Day

Over half a million people gathered early Thursday at Istanbul’s Galata Bridge for a massive march in support of Palestine, organized under the umbrella of the Humanity Alliance and the National Will Platform, Anadolu reports.

The New Year’s Day demonstration, held with the… pic.twitter.com/W1lzBHpnYS

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Over half a million people gathered early Thursday at Istanbul’s Galata Bridge for a massive march in support of Palestine, organized under the umbrella of the Humanity Alliance and the National Will Platform, Anadolu reports.

The New Year’s Day demonstration, held with the participation of more than 400 civil society organizations and led by the Turkish Youth Foundation (TUGVA), was carried out under the slogan “We won’t cower, we won’t keep quiet, we won’t forget Palestine.”

At the event, around 520,000 participants called for an end to the genocide in Gaza.

Ahead of the event, members of the public convened before dawn prayers at major mosques across Istanbul, including the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, Sultanahmet Mosque (the Blue Mosque), Fatih, Suleymaniye, and Eminonu New Mosque. Many carried Turkish and Palestinian flags as they gathered in mosque courtyards to show solidarity with Palestine.

Despite freezing temperatures, turnout was high. Extensive security measures were taken, particularly around Sultanahmet Square, where participants were also offered hot beverages.

Following morning prayers, demonstrators walked on foot toward Galata Bridge, joined by Turkish Cabinet ministers, senior officials, and other top figures. The program officially began at 8.30 am local time (0530 GMT).

As roads leading to the bridge were closed to traffic, participants reached the area on foot from designated points or by boat.

Those arriving by boat joined the demonstration by lighting flares and waving Turkish and Palestinian flags as they approached Galata Bridge.

A large banner depicting “Hanzala,” the iconic figure closely associated with the Palestinian cause created by late Palestinian cartoonist Naji al-Ali, was hung on a building behind the main press platform.

The event also featured performances by internationally known artists and musicians, including Lebanese-Swedish singer Maher Zain, Turkish vocalist/musician Esat Kabakli, and the band Grup Yuruyus.

Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz also shared a message to the event on Turkish social media platform NSosyal, saying: “The Humanity Alliance extends hundreds of thousands of greetings from Istanbul to the Palestinian people, to Gaza, and to all the oppressed across the world. We sincerely thank all individuals and institutions who contributed to this effort.”