Protests commemorating the upcoming 76th anniversary of the Nakba and calling for a cease-fire in Gaza were seen around the world this weekend.
The “Nakba,” which means “catastrophe” in Arabic, refers to the forced removal of an estimated 750,000 Palestinians from their homes in preparation for the founding of Israel in 1948. During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, some Jewish militias massacred Palestinian civilians, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported, and hundreds of thousands of them were forced to flee their homes, according to the United Nations. Although the Nakba is not believed to have happened in one day, it's widely commemorated on May 15.
This year, the Nakba anniversary comes amid Israel's war in the Gaza Strip, which has killed over 35,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials.
Last week, the Israeli army ignored U.S. warnings and ordered around 100,000 people to evacuate Rafah, where many of those who live in Gaza have been displaced over seven months of war. Palestinians who have been forced from their homes fear they are being permanently expelled from their land, just like many of their relatives were in 1948.
Over the weekend, crowds gathered in cities around the world, including in the U.S., the U.K., the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Ireland. Protesters marched with Palestinian flags and signs calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, as well as for displaced Palestinians’ right to return to their homes.
Additional protests in more countries, like Wales, Germany and Belgium, are planned for this week.
In Brooklyn, New York, hundreds of people gathered at the Barclays Center on Saturday to call for an end to what many believe is a genocide in Gaza, as well as to call on the U.S. to stop sending weapons to Israel.
The U.S. is still sending weapons to Israel despite stopping an arms shipment of 2,000-pound and 500-pound bombs to the country last week over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plans for a full-scale invasion of Rafah.
Protesters chanted, "We want justice. You know how? Stop bombing Rafah now." Some brought drums, which they played along with protest chants.
New York City Police Department officers in riot gear were seen closing in on protesters at one point and arresting them. More than 160 people were taken into custody over the course of the protest, according to the NYPD.
Protesters were seen in multiple cities in the United Kingdom on Saturday, including Bristol and London.
In Bristol, protesters carried signs that read, "Free Palestine."
Hundreds of protesters could be seen in Montreal at Westmount Square on Saturday calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.
On Sunday, protesters gathered in Melbourne at State Library Victoria.
In Amsterdam, protesters held a large Palestinian flag in the city center, video posted on social media showed.
Supporters of Palestinians were seen in New Plymouth on Sunday carrying a sign that read, "STOP THE GENOCIDE."
A small group of protesters in Fingal chanted "Free, free Palestine" over the weekend in a video shared by local politician John Burtchaell.
NBCNEWS