Algerians to march for Palestine, first time since ban on protests

In Algeria, thousands are set to take to the streets Thursday, 19 October, in solidarity with Palestine after reportedly an Israeli strike on a hospital in Gaza killed over 500 people.

Since the start of Israel's war on Gaza, activists and politicians have seemingly failed to organise a national pro-Palestine march amid the state's censorship on all public protests since the end of the Hirak.

Over the past few days, the opposition movement of the peace society has led a few sit-ins in the North African country, but they remained limited to allies and distant cities.

"The regime does not allow Algerians to go out to public spaces because it is wary of the return of political slogans opposing it and the revival of the political movement against it," wrote Oualid Kabir, an Algerian political activist based in Morocco, on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. 

In 2019, Hirak protesters chanted against the Algerian regime's oppression and the Israeli occupation, saying that the Palestinian cause was always a key inspiration for various popular uprisings in the Middle East and North African region. 

Two years ago, the Algerian interior ministry said all protests would need a permit that specified the names of organisers and a start and finishing time for the demonstrations.

Such restrictions would mean naming specific individuals formally responsible for a hitherto leaderless protest movement, even if permits were given.

The measures align with a clause in a constitution approved by Algerian voters in November 2020, in a referendum that drew only 25% participation, requiring organisers to give advance information before demonstrations.

In the aftermath of Hirak, the state arrested hundreds of activists, journalists, and supporters of the movement using an overly broad definition of terrorism. As of March 2022, 280 people were still in jail on terrorism charges.

Last week, the opposition party of Peace Society called on the authorities to open public spaces for the Algerian people to voice their position supporting the Palestinian resistance.

Their call seems to be answered as opposition and majority parties are set to march together for the first time since the Hirak uprising. 

"The march will start from May Day Square to Martyrs' Square on Thursday, 19 October, starting at eleven in the morning (11:00 a.m.)," reads the press release signed by sixteen parties, including the majority party of the National Liberation Front,

Following Israeli attacks on Gaza, the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed deep concern over Israel's attacks, accusing it of violating international humanitarian law.

Algeria has also called for immediate international intervention to protect the Palestinian people, whose rights are central to resolving the conflict.