UK
Thousands of clothes laid across beach for children killed in Israel-Hamas conflict


Hamish Bailey
Mon, 5 February 2024

Led By Donkeys created a 5km line of children's clothes to represent children killed in the Israel-Gaze conflict. (Image: NQ Staff)

MORE than 11,000 items of children's clothes were laid across Bournemouth beach in remembrance of the children killed in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Political campaigners Led By Donkeys have laid over 11,000 items of children's clothes across 5km of Bournemouth beach to represent the thousands of children killed in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

The line of clothes spread from near Branksome Chime to Bournemouth Pier and was completed on Monday afternoon.

James Sadri, one of the creators of Led By Donkeys, said: "This is a giant installation aimed to try and visualise the extent of the killing in Gaza. It's incredibly difficult for people to wrap their heads around that over 11,500 children have been killed since October 7.

"This concept is about helping people get to grips with the scale of what is going on and that will hopefully spur them on to lean on their political leaders to get a meaningful ceasefire."

James stated that clothes represent both Palestinian and Israeli children who have died in consequence of the conflict.

Of the clothes, 11,500 represent Palestinian children while 36 represent Israeli.

James said: "We want people to be able to focus on the individual life lost. If you walk along the beach, you can stop and look at one set of clothes that represent one child.

"You can't tell if they're Israeli or Palestinian and that's the point. All children are innocent and we should be treating them as such."

Supported by the BCP Council, all the clothes were eventually removed and will be donated to several children's and homeless charities.

The event was also captured by a helicopter so that the true extent of the line could be captured.

LBD Volunteer Ewan Marshall, 63, said: "It's distressing when you look at it and you hope there is more pressure brought on parties to make peace.

"People have come from all over the place to help with installation because there's a slaughter going on at the moment."

Ewan came with 60 other people on a coach to help create the piece with Bournemouth locals also involved.