People take part in a pro-Palestine march in central London organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, July 6, 2024
TENS of thousands marched through London on Saturday, delivering a resounding message to the new government that protests demanding justice for Palestine are here to stay.
In the 16th national march since October, demonstrators called for an end to British diplomatic, legal and military support for Israel.
More than 38,000 people have been killed by Israel’s attacks on Gaza, including 16,000 children.
Over 600 lawyers had already warned the previous government it risked violating international law by continuing arms exports facilitating Israel’s assault.
Saturday’s march began in Russell Square, ending with speeches near Westminster’s Portcullis House.
Jeremy Corbyn, re-elected as an independent MP for Islington North, was among those attending.
Speaking from the stage, Mr Corbyn told protesters: “Palestine was on the ballot in this election – and I promise to stay true to my word to stand up for the Palestinian people.
“We said it to the Tories and now we will say it to Labour: a government that sells arms to Israel is a government that is complicit in crimes against humanity.
“A change in government doesn’t change the fact that the people of Gaza are still being murdered in their sleep.”
Mr Corbyn urged Labour to reflect on its total vote being lower than in the previous two general elections, saying he would wager votes were “lost in large measure” due to candidates failing to speak out about Gaza.
Four other Labour strongholds were lost at the election to independents who were vocal about Palestine.
Among them was Iqbal Mohamed, now the Independent MP for Dewsbury and Batley, who ousted his Labour challenger on Friday.
Joining the stage, he said: “Our democracy has been hijacked by the corrupt, racist, pro-war, apartheid, genocide-supporting elite, and Dewsbury and Batley have spoken.
“We have taken our democracy back and we will do the same across the United Kingdom.”
British-Palestinian independent candidate Leanne Mohamad lost narrowly in Ilford North by 528 votes to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who has received nearly £30,000 from lobby group Labour Friends of Israel.
Speaking at the rally, she said: “He had all the money. He had all the party machinery behind him.
“We built a people-powered movement from the ground up and we brought people together.
“Gaza is a result of policies and acceptance of the Tories and Labour.
“They make money and sell arms at the expense of the misery of others. We will not let them get away with it.”
More than 700 police officers were deployed for the protest, with three people being arrested on suspicion of breaching the draconian Public Order Act.
The Labour Party has received millions in funding from pro-Israel lobbyists, including £900,000 from South African businessman Gary Lubner and half a million from Stuart Roden, the chairman of Israeli venture capital firm Hetz Ventures, during the election period alone.
Sir Keir previously said Israel had the “right” to cut off food and water in violation of international law and threatened to sack any Labour MP who backed a parliamentary vote in support of a ceasefire.
Hundreds turned out at weekly protests across the north including in Leeds, Manchester, Bradford.
In Manchester, Palestine supporters were joined by members of the city’s Sudanese community calling for an end to the civil war in their country.
In Bradford, hundreds of people welcomed Palestinian ambassador Husam Zomlot, who spoke at the city’s university as part of Bradford Literature Festival.
Dr Zomlot was born in a refugee camp in the city of Rafah, which is currently under attack by Israel, and has lost several family members in the Israeli onslaught.
Bradford University’s Great Hall was packed to its 900 capacity when he arrived.
Dr Zomlot said that from the first week of the conflict in October last year, 75 per cent of the British people had wanted a ceasefire.
He added that if Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wanted “change” then the first thing he should do was to act on what the people of Britain wanted.
He said that as a “number one priority,” the government should recognise the state of Palestine, and that the UK was 107 years late in recognising the Palestinian state.
Dr Zomlot said: “The two-state solution is a Palestinian concession, not a Palestinian demand. We need equality, and that brings freedom.
“Palestine is built on love. We need our children to grow up loving their country more than they hate Israel.
“We need to do what happened with apartheid South Africa. We need to suck the oxygen out of its occupation.”
Thousands demand new government takes action for Palestine
Ben Jamal, Palestine Solidarity Campaign Director
By Ben Hayes, Labour Outlook
Just two days after the general election, thousands joined the latest national demonstration for Palestine – calling for the new Labour government to speak up for the people of Gaza and arms sales to Israel.
The march, called by a coalition of groups including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Stop the War Coalition, saw campaigners, MPs, and trade unionists amongst those marching in London.
Fresh from his re-election, MP for Islington North Jeremy Corbyn addressed the demonstration and emphasised that the movement will continue to demand peace, justice and freedom:
Poplar & Limehouse’s Labour MP Apsana Begum also spoke, pressing for action on arms sales in the new Parliament:
And on the need for the “unconditional and immediate recognition of the State of Palestine.”
Support was also shown from the wider labour movement, with RMT Assistant General Secretary Eddie Dempsey joining the march, alongside a trade union bloc:
We in Labour Outlook will continue to support this historic movement for Palestine, including demanding an end to UK arms sales to Israel.
Hundreds of thousands to demand new Government take action for Palestine
Ben Jamal, Palestine Solidarity Campaighn Director
By the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC)
Two days after the UK General Election and as the new Government begins work, hundreds of thousands of supporters of the Palestinian cause will march through the streets of London and rally at Parliament. Their demands have not changed with the governing party – they seek an end to the UK’s political, diplomatic, legal and military support for Israel whilst it carries out what the International Court of Justice (ICJ) recognises to be a plausible case of genocide.
More than 38 000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel, including approximately 16 000 children. 90% of the population has been displaced several times and two million people are struggling to survive with inadequate food, water, shelter and health services. Despite the International Criminal Court (ICC) seeking arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, the UK continues to allow arms exports to Israel and continues to withhold funding to UNRWA, the humanitarian agency working on the ground in Gaza to alleviate suffering.
The march comes after an election campaign in which, as even Peter Mandelson admitted, Palestine has been placed firmly on the ballot. The Labour Party, which came under severe criticism for comments made by Keir Starmer supporting Israel’s “right” to cut off food and water in violation of International law, has lost swathes of votes to Independents. 5 Independent candidates who stood on clear platforms of calling for an end to UK complicity in Israel’s genocide have been elected. The Green Party – over 300 of whose candidates signed up to all of the PSC candidate demands – achieved its best ever result with 4 MPs elected, all of whom supported all of the demands.
Ben Jamal, PSC Director, said :
“Palestine has definitely been on the ballot in this election. Many of the results indicated that millions of voters cannot accept the UK takes a complicit role in Israel’s genocide in Gaza. It is a shot across the bows of the incoming Labour Government. It needs to sit up and take notice. It needs to demand an immediate ceasefire, halt arms exports to Israel and restore funding to UNRWA.
“The campaign for an end to Israel’s genocide in Gaza and a free Palestine will continue with urgency and renewed determination in the new Parliament. We cannot sit back and expect our political leaders to suddenly decide to act in line with international law and the principles of human rights – we will have to push them to do so. That is why on Saturday, immediately after the general election, we will march on Westminster in our hundreds of thousands. We will campaign throughout this Parliament for the UK to support the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes as repeatedly affirmed by the UN General Assembly and Security Council.
“We will also ramp up our work calling for the boycott of complicit companies and divestment by public bodies including universities and local authorities from those companies, with a high profile Divestment Conference planned in London for August 10th. We will not stop until Palestine is free.”
- The National March for Palestine assembles today at noon in Russell Square, London – full details here.
- You can follow the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram.
- This article was originally published by the PSC on July 5th, 2024.
July 7, 2024
Members of the Metropolitan Police Service are seen at the National March for Palestine in London, United Kingdom on July 6, 2024. [Nathan Posner – Anadolu Agency]
Five individuals were arrested during a pro-Palestinian march in London, the first of its kind under the new Labour government on Saturday, Anadolu Agency reports.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered to call for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, where Israel has killed more than 38,000 Palestinians since last October and left most civilians homeless and at risk of famine.
The event, organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, saw participants assemble at Russell Square and proceed through the city, culminating with speeches near Portcullis House.
The Metropolitan Police, which deployed 700 officers to manage the demonstration, confirmed the arrests.
One individual was detained on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence related to a placard, while three others were arrested for breaching Public Order Act conditions imposed on the march, it said on X.
READ: Hundreds of thousands march for Palestine in London
And the fifth on suspicion of inciting racial hatred in relation to a placard.
Despite conditions requiring the protest to remain on Victoria Embankment, a group of protesters gathered opposite Downing Street, marshalled by Met officers.
Among the attendees was Jeremy Corbyn, recently re-elected as an independent MP for Islington North in Greater London.
Addressing the crowd, the former Labour leader reiterated his support for the Palestinian cause. “Palestine was on the ballot in this election,” Corbyn said. “A change in government doesn’t change the facts that the people of Gaza are still being murdered in their sleep. And it doesn’t change the fact that there is only one path to a just and lasting peace: an end to the occupation of Palestine.”
The Met Police emphasized their use of powers to impose conditions on the protests to “minimize serious disruption to the community and balance the rights of all.”
The demonstration is part of a series of regular marches that have been held since October, with previous ones ending at Whitehall.
No comments:
Post a Comment