Pakistani police prevent pro-Palestinian protesters from moving toward US embassy in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Police in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad on Friday prevented a pro-Palestinian rally by a radical Islamist party from moving toward the U.S. Embassy, where demonstrators wanted to stage a sit-in protesting Israel’s strikes in Gaza.

Police used batons on the demonstrators, angering hundreds of rallygoers who briefly blocked a key road and later staged a sit-in near a high-security area where foreign embassies and the offices of president, prime minister and parliament are located.

Students from the Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan party posted videos on social media, claiming they were beaten by police who did not allow them to go toward the American embassy for a peaceful rally to denounce the Israeli strikes on Gaza.

Demonstrators held banners and posters with slogans opposing Israel and the United States and in support of the Palestinians. Organizers vowed to continue raising their voices for the Palestinians.

According to police, officers were negotiating with demonstrators to end the sit-in.