LONDON: A woman was arrested and charged on Saturday after driving her car through a crowd of pro-Palestinian protesters in the center of Edinburgh.
Hundreds of people had assembled to demand an end to Israeli violence in Gaza and to push for a ceasefire in Israel’s war with Hamas when the driver in a black Seat car began driving through the crowd.
Photos posted to social media by those attending showed the car surrounded by police officers, who were called to the scene, and the woman being removed from the vehicle.
“As speakers were addressing the protest, a driver tried to drive their way through the crowd,” one eyewitness told MailOnline.com. “Police tried to forcibly clear away protesters in order to facilitate the driver to get through, people resisted, and they eventually had to intervene and take the driver out of the car.”
Police said the incident left several people with minor injuries.
A Police Scotland statement said: “Around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, we were made aware of a road crash involving a car and a small number of pedestrians in Mount Place, Edinburgh.
“Officers received reports of minor injuries from pedestrians, but no medical attention was required. A 70-year-old woman has been arrested and charged in connection with a driving offense. A report will be sent to the procurator fiscal.”
Pro-Palestinian protests calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza were held in a number of cities across the UK on Saturday.
