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| Protesters block Queen Street. Photo / Michael Craig |
Several community and activist groups organised the demonstration.
Protesters will soon march down Queen Street to the US consulate, to show their opposition to the country's economic and military links to Israel. After speeches, marchers plan to also visit the New Zealand Herald building, to protest what they call biased coverage in local media of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
"We're on the side of justice," a speaker told the crowd.
A counter-demonstration is planned and the two groups are expected to come into close proximity near Britomart.
Green MP Kennedy Graham told protesters their purpose was to promote peace.
"And there can be no peace without justice."
Global Peace and Justice spokesman Mike Treen said Israel's regime was turning Israelis into "monsters", while Roger Fowler, a Kiwi who was in Gaza during an outbreak of cross-border conflict in 2012, called on people to protest Israel's actions every Saturday.
Another man told protesters that with every passing day, more innocent people were dying in Gaza, and those opposed to the ground offensive must act quickly.
Israel launched the ground offensive on Friday morning (NZT) in response to rocket fire from Gaza on its cities and after Hamas rejected an Egyptian cease-fire plan this week.
The escalation followed a 10-day campaign of air bombardments attempting to destroy Hamas' rocket-firing abilities and the tunnels militants use to get into Israel. NZH
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