London: Thousands flooded London's streets Sunday, part of a surging wave of European demonstrations decrying US and Israeli military strikes on Iran now in their third week.
In the British capital, protesters streamed from Russell Square to Whitehall, banners aloft and chants ringing out against the escalating Middle East conflict, Xinhua reported. At a rally, calls intensified for an immediate ceasefire and no foreign meddling. Mariam, gripping a "STOP THE WAR ON IRAN" sign, slammed Washington's "Epic Fury" label as an "Epic Failure." "No foreign intervention. Hands off the Middle East and stop bombing. People have the right to live in peace. You cannot bomb people to democracy," she declared.
Adrian, who journeyed from Birmingham, called the strikes "outrageous" and "exhausting," citing spiking oil prices and global jitters already hitting home.
The unrest spanned the continent. Madrid saw 4,000 march from Atocha to Puerta del Sol with signs like "No to war, no to NATO" and "Spain is not the US." Podemos leaders Ione Belarra and Irene Montero joined, urging Spain's NATO exit amid broader Western policy backlash.
In Lisbon on March 14, hundreds braved rain near the US embassy, backed by 70+ groups under the Portuguese Council for Peace and Cooperation. They chanted "Yes to peace, no to war" and demanded disarmament.
Sofia's March 2 march drew hundreds opposing the strikes, with placards reading "No war against Iran" and "US military aircraft not welcome," calling for US planes to leave Bulgarian soil.
Outbreaks hit France and Greece too. Dutch analyst Rob de Wijk of Leiden University branded US moves "outright blackmail," urging Europe to cut US reliance and boost strategic independence amid security risks.
(Inputs from IANS)