Israel-Gaza attacks: Four arrests made at Manchester vigil

Placards were held aloft at the event in St Peter's Square

Four arrests were made as hundreds of people gathered in Manchester for a vigil after the Hamas attacks.

The militant group launched an unprecedented assault on Saturday, killing hundreds of people and taking dozens of hostages.

Greater Manchester Police's (GMP) Chief Constable Stephen Watson said the vigil on Wednesday "passed off peacefully and without significant incident".

Police said four people were arrested on suspicion of breaching the peace.

One of the suspects was de-arrested following further investigation, the force added.

• Israel-Gaza violence: The conflict explained

In a social media post that was later deleted, the force said the arrests were "not for supporting Palestine", adding that people had a "right to express their support for both Israel and Palestine".

"The force draws a clear distinction between support for Palestine and support for the proscribed terrorist organisation Hamas," it said.

The force has been asked why the post was deleted.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and council leader Bev Craig were among those speaking at the event at St Peter's Square.

Mr Watson said: "Last night's vigil to honour and remember the victims of the deeply distressing and abhorrent Hamas terrorist attack on Israel passed off peacefully, and without significant incident.

"I thank our communities for their proactive and calm approach to standing together in solidarity and thank my officers for delivering a professional policing operation."

He added that there was "no place for antisemitic hate crime in Greater Manchester"

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