Protesters were out in force in Bolton town centre on Thursday afternoon calling for a ceasefire in Palestine.

The demonstrators had gathered in front of the branch of Barclays bank just off Victoria Square, baring placards and chanting slogans in support of the embattled territory.

This comes after a series of protests in Bolton town centre in recent months since the most recent phase of the devastating conflict began last October.

Alan Johnson, of the Bolton Green Party, said: “We came down in solidarity with the Palestinian people, standing shoulder to shoulder with the victims.

“The Green Party was the first party nationally to call for a ceasefire on October 9.”

The Bolton News: The protest is one of several to have taken place in Bolton town centreThe protest is one of several to have taken place in Bolton town centre (Image: Newsquest)

He added: “We condemn what Hamas have done on October 7 but we’re also saying that the Israeli government has been total disproportionate.

“The collective punishment of the Palestinian people has been an absolute crime against humanity, it breaks every international law going.”

Since the most recent stage of the conflict began in October more than 30,000 Palestinians and more than 1,400 Israelis have been killed.

This had reverberated around Bolton since then, with a wide range of public demonstrations having been organised.

Also present amongst the protesters at the event on Thursday was Julia Simpkins of the Bolton National Education Union.

She said: “Gaza is now the most dangerous place in the world to be a child and we’ve heard so many stories now."

She added: “Children will never recover from these kinds of experiences!

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Protesters had previously gathered outside Barclays in Bolton town centre last November, while to rallies from Queens Park to Victoria Square have seen people gather in their thousands.

Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi and Bolton North East MP Mark Logan have both called for ceasefires, both breaking ranks with their own party leaderships at the time to do so.

Earlier this week Baroness Trish Morris of Bolton said the failure to grant Palestinian statehood in 2011 was a “missed opportunity to change the course of history.”